A senior Bihar government official claimed that the situation in Jehanabad town was under control and there was no reason to worry.

However, reports from Jehanabad say that over 1000 Maoists took control of the town around 9 to 10 PM on Sunday night and the city was under darkness.

Attempts to get in touch with Bihar Governor Buta Singh proved futile. State police chief Ashish Ranjan has called an emergency meeting of Bihar police's top officials soon after the incident.

Central Reserve Police Force battalions (numbers not known) have been rushed from nearest places to crush the Maoist attack. "The exchange of fire between security forces and Maoists has stopped now and things are under control," claimed an official posted at the Director General, Bihar's office.

The Senior Superintendent of Police could not be contacted as he is conducting operations against Maoists.

According to Chief Secretary G S Kang, the attack was concentrated on police lines but the Maoists were unable to loot any arms.

Inspector General B C Verma, who has been put in a nodal position for deployment of forces and liaison with Union home ministry, informed home ministry control room in New Delhi, which has been made operational after the attack, that adequate number of troops have been rushed to quell the attack.

The control room however, could not confirm the number of attackers as they had disconnected the electricity to the town of Jehanabad before the attack.

(With inputs from PTI)