Ranchi/Rourkela: Five persons were killed and railway services were briefly disrupted today when Maoists struck in Jharkhand and Orissa on the second day of the five-state shutdown called by them.
Five persons travelling in a car were killed last night when Maoists blew up a culvert between Purnanagar and Gandey under Pirtand police station in Jharkhand`s Giridih
district, Superintendent of Police A V Homker told over phone.
In Orissa, Maoists blew up a road culvert close to the railway tracks in Bisra area in Orissa`s Sundergarh district, briefly disrupting train services on the Mumbai-Howrah route.
"A road culvert at Mahipani in Bisra police station area, about 30 km from here, was blown up by the rebels with a landmine," Rourkela Superintendent of Police Diptesh Patnaik said.
None was hurt in the explosion.
A thorough inspection of the tracks by the Railway Protection Force, Government Railway Police, police and Bomb Disposal Squad, showed there was no damage to the lines, he said.
Maoists have called for a two-day bandh to protest security forces` action against them.
PTI
