Title - Railways step up security on eve of Maoist bandh

The Railways have heightened security measures on trains and along tracks in Maoist-affected areas in the south-west of the State in view of the nationwide bandh called by the Communist Party of India (Maoist) on Wednesday. It has been decided that pilot engines or goods trains will run ahead of passenger trains in the region where additional security forces are being deployed, stated the South Eastern Railway authorities.  The bandh has been called by the Maoists to highlight their demand for a halt to anti-Maoist operations as well their opposition to the proposed National Counter Terrorism Centre. Special patrol trains will also be on stand-by at some stations. A speed restriction has been imposed along certain sections in the night. There was an incident on Monday night where miscreants -- suspected to be Maoists -- entered coaches of Tatanagar-Bilaspur Passenger and pasted leaflets in a train at Posoita station in Jharkhand. This has heightened security concerns. Several of the security measures being adopted seem to be aimed at preventing an incident such as the Jnaneshwari Express derailment that claimed 150 lives in May 2010 for which the Maoist-backed Police Sanstrash Birodhi Jansadharaner Committee (PSBJC) was held responsible. 

For more than a year-and-a-half after the incident the night running of trains in the State's Maoist-affected Jangalmahal region was put on hold.  

It was only in January that trains returned to their original schedule.