New Delhi - Maoist rebels blew up a railway line and a mobile phone tower in India's eastern state of Jharkhand on the opening day of their two-day shutdown on Monday, officials said.

At least 20 rebels from the banned Communist Party of India-Maoist blew up the track between the Kumundi and Hehegada railway stations in Latehar district, local police officer Kuldip Dwivedi said.

Railway services were disrupted in the district located 150 kilometres north of state capital Ranchi and many local trains were diverted.

In another attack, Maoist rebels blew up a mobile phone tower in the Palamau district. No one was injured in the incident.

The rebels have called a two-day strike from Monday in five states, including Jharkhand, Bihar, Orissa, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh.

The rebels said the shutdown was called to protest the arrest of two senior Maoist leaders by the Bihar police.

Five policemen were killed and two injured in an attack by the rebels in Bihar on Sunday.

Maoist guerrillas, who are active in 13 of India's 29 states, say they are fighting for the rights of the landless, poor and tribal people and are inspired by the Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong.

Federal Home Minister P Chidambaram recently told state security ministers that Maoist violence along with terrorism and insurgency in the north-eastern region were the three biggest challenges facing the country.

At least 562 people, including civilians, security forces personnel and rebels, were killed in Maoist-related violence in India between January 1 and July 30, according to the government. (dpa)