Maoists kill 7, strike hits life in 6 states

Raipur/Ranchi/Kolkata : Seven people, including two cops, were killed by the ultras in West Bengal and Chhattisgarh as the Mooist-sponsored 48-hour shutdown beginning Monday hit life in six contiguous states.

The extremists also blasted a rail track in Jharkhand disrupting traffic between Howrah and New Delhi.

The Maoists called the strike in West Bengal, Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattishgarh and Andhra Pradesh demanding a probe into the killing of their ‘comrade’ Azad and release of other top leaders.

Bodies of two cops were recovered close to Bhejji police station in Dantewada district, about 500 kms south of Raipur.

The slaughtering of the two constables, who had their throats split, was the handiwork of the Maoists as some leaflets were recovered from the scene of crime, Superintendent of Police, Dantewada, S R P Kalluri, said.

The ultras also raided a village in West Bengal of West Midnapore district and hacked to death five people, stated to be the CPI-M supporters.

Police said a group of Maoists, armed with weapons, attacked Dompara area of Nachupatina village close to the Orissa border and dragged out five alleged Marxist supporters, including four of a family, and hacked them to death.

The ultras also blew up a stretch of railway track near Karmavad railway station in Giridih district of Jharkhand in the wee hours.

The blast, which occurred around 2 am, destroyed a metre-long track besides wheels of a goods train, Divisional Railway Manager, (Dhanbad Railway Division), A Upadhaya, said in Ranchi.

A report from Jharkhand said the train movement between Howrah and Delhi had been disrupted after the red rebels blew up portion of a rail track near Giridih district.

Several long-distance passenger trains like Kalka Mail, Neelanchal Express, Chambal Express remained stranded at various points.