Bomb squad personnel inspect railway tracks near Gaya following the explosion (Pic: AFP)
Maoists blew up a railway track near Gaya late on Friday, forcing stoppage of many prominent trains, including three Rajdhanis.
The explosion on the track between Taraiya and Guraru railway stations occurred at around 11 PM, barely 20 minutes after the pilot engine of Howrah-Delhi Rajdhani train crossed the area, Gaya Railway Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Sunil Kumar said.
There is usually a gap of one hour between the pilot engine and the train which follows it. Following the blast, the Howrah-Delhi Rajdhani train was stopped at Taraiya Station.
Railways had decided to run pilot engines ahead of trains following the 2003 accident of Howrah-Delhi Rajdhani in Naxal-hit Aurangabad district of Bihar, which had left over a 100 people dead.
Around 13 trains, including three Rajdhanis, were stranded at different places on the Up line and many others were halted on Down line due to the blasts.
However, train services have resumed in the Up line in between Paraiya and Guraru at 7.30 AM, Chief Public Relation Officer (CPRO), East Central Railway, Amitabh Prabhakar told PTI.
Twelve pandrol clips, which hold the rail to sleepers, had gone missing after the blast. They have been put in place on Saturday.
Running of prominent trains was resumed in the section this morning, Mr Prabhakar said.
Mr Kumar said that the damaged track has been repaired and Down line has also been opened for running of trains.
The 12301 Howrah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, which was halted at Paraiya station overnight, proceeded on its onward journey this morning, Mr Kumar said.
The Sealdah-New Delhi Rajdhani and Bhubneshwar-New Delhi Rajdhani, which were stopped at Gaya station the entire night, also proceeded on their onward journey later on, he added.