Naxals attack Bihar railway station, abduct two officials
Naxals attacked Bihar's Masudan Railway Station yesterday night, vandalized the premises and abducted two railway officials including the assistant station master, ANI reported. No casualties have been reported yet. The Railways hasn't issued an official statement either. The Naxals have apparently demanded that trains stop plying on the Masudan track. For now, services have been halted at Kiul-Jamalpur-Bhagalpur, Eastern Railway PRO Rajesh Kumar said.
According to reports, the incident happened around 12am. Naxals attacked the railway station, torched property and damaged the communication system. Later, the assistant station master, one of the two kidnapped, called up the Maldah DRM, saying they had threatened to kill them if railway services continued on the route. Passengers have been requested to arrange alternative modes of transport for now.
#SpotVisuals: Naxals attacked Masudan Railway Station, late last night & torched station property. 2 officials, including Assistant Station Master, abducted. pic.twitter.com/PZ9oNsXPUh
— ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2017
Naxals and Maoists often target trains, railway stations and mobile phone towers. At least two attacks were reported earlier this year. In March, Naxalites planted explosives in the station master's office and the engine of a goods train halted at the Doikallu railway station in Odisha. In August, they hijacked a train in Lakhisarai, Bihar. Afterwards they kidnapped two cabin men in the district.
