1 railway employee killed, another critical after Maoists blow up train track; Odisha CM Majhi announces Rs 10 lakh ex gratia

A railway employee was killed, and another was critically injured in an IED blast triggered by Maoists between Karampada (Jharkhand) and Renjeda (Odisha) on Sunday morning.

The explosion, which occurred along the Bimalagarh section, completely destroyed a portion of the railway track. The deceased, identified as keyman Itua Oram, succumbed on the spot, while the injured employee has been shifted to Rourkela in critical condition.

Following the incident, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi announced an ex gratia assistance of Rs 10 lakh for the bereaved family.

The blast occurred amid heightened Maoist activity during the ongoing ‘Shaheed Saptah’ (Martyrs’ Week) observed from July 28 to August 3 by the Naxals, triggering a red alert along the Odisha-Jharkhand border.

As per preliminary reports, the explosion caused extensive damage to the railway line under the Bimalagarh section. Earlier reports indicated no trains were plying through the route at the time, averting further casualties. The area falls within the dense Saranda forest, known for a longstanding Maoist presence and insurgent operations.

Rail Services Disrupted, Search Operations Intensify

Following the explosion, train operations were suspended on the affected section. Joint teams of the Odisha Police, Jharkhand Police, CRPF, and Jharkhand Jaguars have launched extensive search and combing operations through the Saranda forest zone.

Bomb detection units have been deployed to rule out the presence of more explosives along the tracks. The Karampada station, which falls in Jharkhand, and Renjeda station in Odisha are considered key border transit points vulnerable to extremist disruption.

Maoist Posters, Security Offensive Tied to Attack

The attack follows the appearance of Maoist posters and banners in multiple locations across Odisha’s Malkangiri and Rayagada districts, as well as parts of Telangana and Jharkhand, starting last Wednesday.

Posters recovered from Banka village under K. Balang police limits also revealed that the rebels had recently looted explosives from nearby mining sites. The materials were attributed to the Eastern Regional Bureau of the CPI (Maoist)’s Chotanagpur Divisional Committee, opposing anti-Maoist operations like Operation Kagar.

Security agencies had already placed Odisha’s border districts, including Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, and Kandhamal, on high alert ahead of Shaheed Saptah. The explosion near Karampada marks one of the most serious escalations during the week-long commemoration.

As of the last reports, damage assessment is underway, and a detailed probe will follow once the area is declared safe.