Kolkata:
A two-day bandh called by Maoists across 6 states West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhatisgarh, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh as well as 3 districts of Maharashtra begins today.
The bandh is in protest against the Union Budget, which the Maoists say is anti-poor and prepared under the dictates of the World Bank.
The bandh is also meant to create public opinion against the Operation Greenhunt, the Centre's offensive against Maoists. Maoists have warned Home Minister P Chidambaram of large-scale violence if the police continued to hunt down its cadres and kill innocent people.
The six states are on a high alert.
The bandh has posed a threat to railway property, especially rail tracks as well as communication systems in the inter-state border zones. As a result, 10 trains, including Patna Palamu Express, Ranchi-Delhi Garib rath, and eight passengers trains have been cancelled in Bihar and Jharkhand.
Six trains passing via Barkakana Latehar section in Jharkhand have been diverted via Rajabera.
Maoists also triggered a blast on a stretch of land along the railway track between Midnapore and Godapia Sal stations in West Midnapore district in the wee hours today as the bandh called by them began.
(With PTI inputs)