W Bengal: Maoists burn down railway station

Maoists burnt down Birandih railway station, 55 km off Purulia in West Bengal, and assaulted railway staff and whisked them out of the building as part of their economic blockade early on Wednesday.

Three railway staff and RPF personnel were asked to leave the station building at gunpoint before the Maoists burnt down the station building and damaged important documents and papers, K S Mukjherjee, Special Deputy Commercial Manager (Adra division), said.

Train services on the section were disrupted and many long distance trains were diverted through alternative route.

Mukherjee said the Railways informed both Purulia police and their Jharkhand counterparts about the incident.

RPF personnel have rushed to the station.

The two-day economic blockade entered its final day on Wednesday, with the CPI (Maoists) protesting against the state and central government's globalisation, industrialisation and SEZ policies.