High alert for Maoist 48-hr bandh

The Union home ministry on Tuesday issued an alert to railways to step up vigil and take all possible measures to foil any attempt of violence, including hostage-like situations, ahead of the two-day bandh called by Maoists to protest killing of their leader Azad.

A separate advisory has already been issued by the Intelligence Bureau to all the states warning of Maoist attacks. “There have been intelligence reports that the Maoists may try to create a hostage-like situation to demand the release of their jailed leaders,” an official said. The Centre is concerned about the safety of Shatabdi and Rajdhani Express trains, and passengers due to the Jnaneswari Express tragedy.

Meanwhile, the railways said it was taking the situation seriously and has kept “crack teams” on standby. The railways has been advised to run the trains at low speed and have pilot engines to escort trains among other measures. Orissa, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chh-attisgarh, Madhya Pra-desh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and parts of Mah-arashtra are worst affected by Maoist violence.