Kolkata: Train services in Maoist-hit West Midnapore district were suspended this evening after the GRP alerted the authorities that the ultras were targeting the Mumbai-Howrah Duranto Express, South Eastern Railway sources said.
"The Jhargram GRP informed us around 7:35 pm that Maoists were planning an attack on the Mumbai-Howrah Duranto Express.
We have accordingly stopped all trains at the nearest stations," the sources said.
As a result, train services on the Kharagpur-Tatanagar section were suspended.
They said the Duranto Express was stopped at the Ghatsila station and the Howrah-Tatanagar Steel Express at Kalaikunda.
"We may have to take Duranto back to Tatanagar and the Steel Express to Kharagpur," the sources said, adding that the Up and Down Tatanagar-Kharagpur passenger trains have also been stopped.
After the May 28 Gyaneswari Express disaster which left 148 passengers dead, trains are not allowed to run between 10:00 pm to 5:00 am in the Kharagpur-Tatanagar and Kharagpur-Adra sections till June 14.
Reports from Jhargram and Midnapore, quoting SER and the police said the Duronto has been surrounded by security forces at Ghatsila railway station and passengers asked to switch off lights and lower shutters.
According to the Jhargram GRP, a group of armed people had gathered at Jamui Bhadui, a known Maoist stronghold, near the Khatkhura halt station just an hour before the Duronto was to pass.
The GRP apprehended that a sabotage was being plotted and immediately alerted the authorities in Kharagpur and Tatanagar.
A bomb disposal squad will visit the spot on Thursday morning, the report said.
A year ago the Maoists had detained a train at Kalimouli near Ghatsila station, the report add.
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