Over 60 people armed with sticks, bows and arrows stormed into Sagadpata railway station, 60 km from Keonjhar, assaulted the station master, security personnel and other employees and looted mobile phones and cash from those present at the railway station, Superintendent of Police Asit Panigrahy said.

Denying involvement of the Maoists in the attack, he said the attackers also pelted stones at the Railway Protection Force personnel.

The SP said the attack was perhaps a sequel to the theft of cables from the station two days ago after which the RPF lodged a complaint and recovered the stolen material on Sunday.

Most of the employees and others ran away from the spot and resurfaced only when the miscreants fled, Panigrahy said. The SP said angry over RPF's complaint with the police and recovery of the cable wires, the miscreants probably carried on the attack and assaulted the railway employees and RPF personnel. A manhunt was launched in the area.