In an audacious attack, Maoists on Tuesday took hostage the Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express with nearly 1200 passengers on board. 
After nearly five hours of intense drama, the situation was brought under control with joint forces taking over the train and a relief train being deployed to bring the passengers to safety. Till 9 pm, the relief train had yet to reach Banshtala, in West Midnapore of West Bengal, where the attack had taken place.At around 3pm on Tuesday, the train, on its way to New Delhi, was stopped by hundreds of tribals who were supporters of the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities. And while holding one of the most secure trains of India under ransom, they demanded the release of their leader Chattradhar Mahato, who was arrested in September and is under judicial custody till November 5.This incident comes close on the heels after the Maoists had abducted OC of Sankrail, Atindranath Dutta. Dutta was released after two days with the Maoists striking a deal with the West Bengal state government to release some tribal women who had been arrested on charges of having Maoist links.Today, the train was stopped and the driver was abducted and there were reports of alleged firing between the tribals and the state forces. This, however, was later refuted by Home minister P Chidambaram who said there was no exchange of fire.The villagers used the Rajdhani as a message board almost, with bold red letters on the walls of train demanding the release of Chattradhar.
The driver, K Anantha Rao, who was abducted and later released, said he saw red flags being waved and about 400 people running onto the tracks and so he had to stop the train. Assistant driver K J Rao was also taken hostage.The West Bengal Chief Minister said firmly that no way will the demands of the Maoists be accepted but he was worried about the safety of the passengers. It was time for the state government to come down heavily on the Maoists and the operations against them in Jhargram and Jangalmahal area needed to be intensified.Home minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday said the train and passengers on board were safe and that the Centre has rushed a relief train to bring back the passengers."The train is safe. All passengers are safe... good news is the train is safe," he told reporters. "CRPF and state police have reached the spot and the area has been secured. There is no sign of any other adversary there," Chidambaram said.Railway minister Mamata Banerjee was monitoring the situation from her office in New Delhi and expressed her concern about getting the passengers to safety first and also stated that the state government must take responsibility and take a tougher stance against such incidents in the state.The Pro-Maoists group PCAPA had claimed responsibility for the attack stating that the train drivers had defied their bandh call.Some men then took him away along with assistant driver K J Rao, the sources said.
After nearly five hours of intense drama, the situation was brought under control with joint forces taking over the train and a relief train being deployed to bring the passengers to safety. Till 9 pm, the relief train had yet to reach Banshtala, in West Midnapore of West Bengal, where the attack had taken place.At around 3pm on Tuesday, the train, on its way to New Delhi, was stopped by hundreds of tribals who were supporters of the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities. And while holding one of the most secure trains of India under ransom, they demanded the release of their leader Chattradhar Mahato, who was arrested in September and is under judicial custody till November 5.This incident comes close on the heels after the Maoists had abducted OC of Sankrail, Atindranath Dutta. Dutta was released after two days with the Maoists striking a deal with the West Bengal state government to release some tribal women who had been arrested on charges of having Maoist links.Today, the train was stopped and the driver was abducted and there were reports of alleged firing between the tribals and the state forces. This, however, was later refuted by Home minister P Chidambaram who said there was no exchange of fire.The villagers used the Rajdhani as a message board almost, with bold red letters on the walls of train demanding the release of Chattradhar.
The driver, K Anantha Rao, who was abducted and later released, said he saw red flags being waved and about 400 people running onto the tracks and so he had to stop the train. Assistant driver K J Rao was also taken hostage.The West Bengal Chief Minister said firmly that no way will the demands of the Maoists be accepted but he was worried about the safety of the passengers. It was time for the state government to come down heavily on the Maoists and the operations against them in Jhargram and Jangalmahal area needed to be intensified.Home minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday said the train and passengers on board were safe and that the Centre has rushed a relief train to bring back the passengers."The train is safe. All passengers are safe... good news is the train is safe," he told reporters. "CRPF and state police have reached the spot and the area has been secured. There is no sign of any other adversary there," Chidambaram said.Railway minister Mamata Banerjee was monitoring the situation from her office in New Delhi and expressed her concern about getting the passengers to safety first and also stated that the state government must take responsibility and take a tougher stance against such incidents in the state.The Pro-Maoists group PCAPA had claimed responsibility for the attack stating that the train drivers had defied their bandh call.Some men then took him away along with assistant driver K J Rao, the sources said.
Jai Hind
Rahul Vallamber
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment