Kolkata/Midnapore, October 27
Armed activists of a Maoist-backed group today stopped the Bhubaneswar-Delhi Rajdhani Express and held up the prestigious train for several hours in a hostage-type situation in a jungle area in West Midnapore district but all 1,200 passengers were safe.
The train was secured after dusk by the CRPF and the state police who were rushed to the spot where it was under the control of the activists of the People’s Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA), five hours after the dramatic incident that started at about 2.30 pm.
“The train is safe and passengers are safe,” said Home Minister P Chidambaram, who monitored the situation closely in New Delhi. There is no sign of any adversary at the scene, he said. The train left Bhubaneswar at 9 am.
The PCPA was demanding among other things the release of their jailed leader Chhatradhar Mahato, which was firmly rejected by West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. The demand was also scrawled on the bogies.
Officials said the activists fled the scene after the arrival of the security personnel. There was some exchange of fire at a spot a little away from the scene in which one civilian driver was injured, they said. The activists believed to be around 400 in number ordered the two drivers of the train to alight and not to take it forward after they brought it to halt placing a tree branch on the tracks at Banstala, 10 km from Jhargram station.
Preliminary reports said the two drivers were abducted. The drivers are safe, Banerjee said. Eyewitnesses said the activists did not harm the passengers and several red flags were near the tracks.
Armed with axes, swords, bows and arrow, the activists attacked the air-conditioned train with stones and smashed the glass panes and forcibly opened the doors as passengers panicked.
Shortly before the end of the crisis that gave anxious moments, Bhattacharjee rejected the Maoist demand for release of Mahato and arrested leaders and withdrawal of security forces to let the train resume its journey. The demand was also scrawled on the bogies of the
train.
The PCPA also wanted to hold negotiations with Mamata Mukherjee, who, however, insisted that the activists first release the train and ensure passengers are safe and unharmed.
"If someone wants to talk to me, he can fix up an appointment and talk to me," she said.
Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also spoke to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh voicing concern over the situation.
Susanta Das, a passenger, and an eyewitness said, "They are very much here though they have been asked by the agitators not to move." Driver Anand Rao said the activists ordered him to switch off the engine and not to take the train forward and cordoned him.
Narrating the sequence of events, Das said he initially thought that they had been stopped by dacoits.
