A commander of the banned CPI (Maoist) was killed in a gunfight with security forces in Jharkhand's Palamu district. Another red rebel, carrying a bounty of Rs 15 lakh, was injured in the encounter. Several weapons, including a self-loading rifle, were recovered during the search operation following the gunfight.
A rail track between Sonua and Lotapahar stations in West Singhbhum, under Chakradharpur Division of South Eastern Railway (SER), was damaged past Friday night in a blast that was allegedly triggered by the Maoists.
Maoists blew up railway tracks in Latehar district of Jharkhand and Vaishali district of Bihar on Saturday, the first day of a two-day Jharkhand-Bihar bandh called by them.
Maoists exploded a series of landmines in the forests of Latehar district and exchanged gunfire with security personnel early on Thursday before the polling began for the Chatra Lok Sabha seat in Jharkhand.
The Palamau Express derailed on Tuesday evening after suspected Maoists blew up a stretch of railway tracks in Latehar district but no casualty or injury was reported.
"Nine bodies of the Maoists were recovered after the encounter at Luhur jungle under Barwadih police station," Latehar Superintendent of Police Kuldweep Diwedi told PTI over phone.
The Central Bureau of Investigation is likely to register a case against former Minister of State for Coal of the United Progressive Alliance-I government, Santosh Bagrodia, and on his kin, including his younger brother Satish, who has bagged the mining contract of the National Thermal Power Corporation block in Jharkhand.
The incident took place in the midst of a 24-hour bandh called by the naxalites in Palamu division, which covers Latehar district to protest against the incident.
The accident happened when a passenger train and a goods train collided.