Naxals blow up Orissa railway station

Naxals blew up a railway station, stormed another and are feared to have abducted two railway officials in Orissa's Sundergarh district early on Saturday, just hours before the 24-hour bandh by the ultra left began in five Naxal-infested states.

Over 60 Naxals struck Bhalulata railway station, located on the Howrah-Mumbai route, and triggered explosions using landmines and powerful explosives, Inspector in-charge of Bisra police station C S Mohanty said.

The station building was virtually razed to the ground as its roof collapsed under the impact of the explosions, the railway police said, adding that nobody was injured in the attack. The station master, a gateman and a porter fled the scene and reappeared about four hours after the incident to resume duty, they said.

Another railway station at Chandiposh, on the Rourkela-Barasuan section, was also attacked by about 50 Naxals around the same time, The Naxals left after firing indiscriminately but  station master S K Singh and his assistant Samir Mukherjee are missing since then.

The two are feared to have been abducted by the Naxals and efforts are on to trace them, the police said.