One killed in Jharkhand train blast, bus and mine targeted

One passenger was killed when a train was blown up while those on a bus miraculously escaped a gun attack and a 20 kg bomb was defused at a SAIL iron mine, police in Jharkhand said on Friday as Maoist guerrillas enforced a 24-hour strike in the state.

The trouble started Thursday night at 9.30 when the Tatanagar-Bilaspur passenger train was blown up as it was passing through a forest in West Singhbhum district. One passenger was killed and 25 injured in the attack that derailed six coaches of the train.

The incident took place between the Manoharpur and Posaita railway stations. According to police, Maoist rebels believed that the train was carrying hundreds of paramilitary troopers on the move ahead of the assembly elections that begin November 25.

Half a dozen trains have been diverted.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Manoj Mishra said: "There were two simultaneous blasts. In each blast, Maoist rebels used 35 to 40 kg explosives. It is a mindless violence of Maoist rebels."

The trouble continued on Friday with the guerrillas concentrating much of their action in West Singhbhum district. Police said Darogasai village of West Singhbhum was raided and about 20 people abducted.

"A few days ago police had recovered bombs and other incriminating material from the village. As per our information, the Maoists are talking to villagers and warning them against cooperating with the police," Jharkhand police spokesperson VH Deshmukh said.

Police also defused a 20 kg bomb found in the Kiriburu iron mines belonging to SAIL (Steel Authority of India) in West Singhbhum district.

As the strike - to protest the proposed operation against them and demanding that their leader Ashok Mahto be produced in court - got underway, a bus on the Ranchi-Jamshedpur national highway was attacked.

Maoist rebels fired bullets at the bus but no one was killed in the attack that took place about 50 km from here.