Three passenger trains were cancelled and five diverted on Saturday after Naxalites [ Images ] torched the Mandamarri railway station in Adilabad district in Andhra Pradesh.

A group of 15 Naxalites of the People's War group arrived at the railway station around 0230 IST. After forcing the staff to come out, they planted landmines in the station master's office. The Naxalites, however, failed to detonate the mines.

Subsequently, they poured kerosene all around the station and set it ablaze destroying official records and damaging the building.

They also took away two walkie-talkie sets.

Police later reached the spot with a bomb disposal squad and recovered 10 kg of unexploded mines.

They attributed the incident to the ongoing protest week called by the PWG to mark the killing of three of its top leaders in an encounter three years ago.