Twin IED blasts rock Odisha-Jharkhand border; 1 railway staff killed, train movement hit

Panic gripped the Odisha -Jharkhand border area after back-to-back Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blasts rocked railway tracks in two separate locations late Sunday night. 

The explosions, believed to be triggered by Maoists, targeted critical rail infrastructure and disrupted train services while also claiming the life of a railway worker.

According to reports, one of the blasts occurred near Karmapada Railway Station  in Jharkhand while the second explosion took place on the railway tracks under Odisha’s K. Balang police limits, specifically in the Renjda section.

These two spots are located along the vital Karmapada–Renjda route, an area that has seen Maoist activity in the past.

The deadly explosions were carried out by suspected Maoists using IEDs to blow up the railway track. One railway employee tragically lost his life on duty due to the explosion while another was seriously injured and rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

The incident follows another similar blast that occurred just a day earlier between Karmapada and Renjda, where explosives were planted on the tracks to target railway movement. These attacks appear to be part of a coordinated attempt by Maoists to disrupt transportation and infrastructure in the sensitive region.

In the aftermath of the twin explosions, rail traffic on the Bimalagarh section came to a complete halt, with authorities suspending train movement as a precautionary measure. Security forces have since launched intensive combing operations in the region to trace the culprits and prevent further sabotage attempts.

The repeated targeting of railway infrastructure has raised serious concerns over safety in Maoist-prone zones. The Indian Railways, in coordination with local police and CRPF units, has stepped up security along key routes while bomb disposal squads have been deployed to scan tracks for more potential threats.

This marks yet another grim reminder of the volatile situation along the Odisha-Jharkhand border and the persistent threat posed by Maoist insurgents.