Maoists abduct ASM, porter; torch signalling panel

Armed Maoists today abducted an assistant station master (ASM) and a porter from a railway station in Munger district and set on fire the signalling panel, disrupting railway traffic early this morning.
Around 15 Maoists including women attacked Masudan railway station at around 2 AM, said Kripasagar, SHO of GRP police station at Jamalpur.
They caught hold of ASM Mukesh Kumar and porter Nirendra Mandal and took them away.
The left wing extremists also set ablaze the signalling panel and threw official papers into the fire, the SHO said.
He said railway traffic was disrupted on Jamalpur-Kiul section for about an hour due to torching of the signalling panel. Movement of trains was restored after the fire was extinguished.

Efforts were on to trace the abducted railway personnel and secure their release, the SHO said.
The attack comes on a day when Maoists had called for a 24-hour bandh across Bihar and neighbouring Jharkhand in protest against operations against them.