Maoist insurgents blew up railway tracks and derailed a train in eastern India on Wednesday, police said, in response to what the Maoists say is a campaign of violence by local police against villagers.

No one was injured, but dozens of trains were held up or cancelled as rebels used explosives to blow tracks in two separate districts of Bihar state, police said.

"We found a third bomb which did not explode and the situation could have been worse then," said Sanjay Singh, a senior police officer.

The Maoists accuse local police of violence against villagers falsely accused of being rebels. Police deny all charges of misconduct.

The rebels distributed fliers asking villagers to support the protest, which shut down shops and held up traffic. It did not have any impact in big cities.

The Maoists say they are fighting for the rights of poor peasants and landless labourers and routinely arrange protests, kill policemen, attack government property and target local politicians.