Goods train catches fire as Maoists blast railway line in Bihar

Fourteen oil tankers of a goods train derailed and caught fire when Maoists blew up a railway line between Dighwara and Pipra stations in West Champaran district early today.

Around 200 Maoists used dynamite to blow up the railway line at Chintamani village, 25 km from here at around 2.30 am, officials said.

The goods train with 50 oil tankers attached to it reached the place soon after and 14 of its oil tankers derailed and caught fire. The train was on way to Raxaul on the Indo-Nepal border from Muzaffarpur.

Railway authorities reached the spot and detached the rest of the oil tankers, while fire tenders from Muzaffarpur and Motihari fought for more than four-and-half-hours to douse the flames.

Rail traffic on the Muzaffarpur-Narkatiyaganj section remained affected for several hours after the blast. 

Several posters and leaflets left by the Maoists were seized from the spot. 

A combing operation has been launched in the area to apprehend the ultras.