Patna/Ranchi, Oct 13 : Maoists ransacked Banshipur Railway Station in Bihar''s Lakhisarai district on the second day of their two-day shutdown.

They torched communication system installed in the railway cabin of the station.

Besides, they took hostage of three railway employees including station master. Later, they released them.

Rail traffic on Patna-Howrah section was affected and over two dozen trains were stranded at several stations.

Meanwhile, Maoists blew up a school building in Jharkhand''s Chatra district.

According to sources, a group of armed Maoists packed dynamites inside the Nawadih Middle School and triggered the blast.

They are observing a two-day shutdown in Bihar and Jharkhand in protest against the Centre''s alleged effort to put down the CPI (Maoists) movement by force.

Tight security arrangements have been made in Bihar and Jharkhand to avoid untoward incidents.

Maoists are active in 18 of the 24 districts of the State. Since Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar in 2000, 614 civilians and 290 security personnel have been killed in the state in Maoist related violence. (ANI)