Ranchi: Activists of banned Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) and People's War (PW) beat up a train driver and damaged engine of a goods train near Daltonganj in Palamau as the 24-hr bandh in Jharkhand and contiguous areas of West Bengal and Bihar began on August 25.

The bandh, separately called by Jharkhand Disom Party in tribal dominated areas of five Eastern states, affected life in Jharkhand as long distance buses were off the road in many districts of the state, official sources said.

Additional director general of police J Mohapatra said that a group of ultras stopped a goods train near Daltonganj and thrashed the driver and damaged the engine late on August 24 night.

"However, now the line is clear and train services are continuing," he said.

Inspector general of police (Railways) I Lakra said the extremists damaged the Eastern cabin of Gurupa station in the Gaya region.

The bandh however did not affect normal life in many townships spread across Jharkhand.

PTI