Naxals kill 7 in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand

Seven people were killed in attacks by Naxals in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand even as the 48-hour bandh called by them entered its second day on Thursday.

Security personnel of Railway Protection Force inspect a railway track in Patna after Maoists called a 48-hour bandh on Wednesday.

Two of the eight attacks were reported in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada region. The Naxals attacked Congress leader Avdesh Singh’s house in the area around 1 am, leaving four people dead.

Among the dead were two security personnel posted at Singh’s house. The Congress leader’s son was admitted in hospital with bullet injuries.

The Naxals also blew up the Kaukonda police station in Dantewada on Thursday morning. At least two police officers were killed.

In Jharkhand, the Naxals made their presence felt in Latehar by triggering blasts at a railway station.

The blasts blew up the station bhawan and relay room at Hehegarha station. Two cabinmen were kidnapped but released later.

Police engaged the Naxals in a gunbattle in Hehegarha. At least one policeman was killed in the crossfire.

The Naxals also blew up a portion of the railway track near the Nikitpur railway halt in Dhanbad. Both the up and down lines were blown up, affecting the movement of trains such as the Howrah and Sealdah Rajdhanis