New Delhi, May 28
The fourth incident of rail attack by Maoists in the last 10 days may force the Railways to halt night operations in the five Naxal-hit states. Today’s attack, however, has been the worst strike on the Railways by Maoists.

Following the triggering of a landmine on railway tracks near Jhargram in West Midnapore district in which two drivers of a goods train were injured and the engine damaged on May 19, the Maoists have been regularly making trains the target.

The next day, the Maoists triggered a blast on railway lines between Dighwara and Pipra stations in Bihar under the Muzaffarpur-Narkatiyaganj section of East Central Railway leading to 14 oil tankers of a goods train catching fire after the train derailed.

Then on May 22, two persons, including a policeman, travelling in the Tatanagar-bound Steel Express, were injured in crossfire between Maoists and joint forces at Banstala station in West Midnapore district.

Timeline Trains targeted by Maoists in W Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar: April 22, 2006: Lay siege to a passenger train in Latehar for eight hours. May 2008: Lay siege to a passenger train in Latehar for five hours. Nov, 2009: Blow up railway tracks in Simdega district in Jharkhand derailing a passenger train killing two persons and injuring 38 persons. October 27, 2009: Detain the Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express for eight hours during a bandh called by the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities. May 19, 2010: Trigger landmine blast on railway tracks near Jhargram in West Midnapore district injuring two drivers of a goods train and leaving the engine damaged. May 20, 2010: Fourteen oil tankers of a goods train derail and catch fire after the Maoists blow up railway lines between Dighwara and Pipra stations in Bihar under Muzaffarpur-Narkatiyaganj section of the East Central Railway. May 22, 2010: Two persons, including a policeman, travelling in the Tatanagar-bound Steel Express, injured in crossfire between the Maoists and joint forces in West Midnapore district.— PTI

Incidentally, today’s attack is the seventh on the Railways since 2006 and has brought the train operations in the Maoists-controlled districts in the five states into sharp focus.

In May 2006 and again in May 2008, Maoists lay siege to a passenger train in Latehar for eight hours and five hours, respectively.

As Home Minister P Chidambaram said that the train derailment appeared to be an act of sabotage, Railway officials, not wanting to get the Railway property damaged and the eventual suspension of the train traffic as a result of the Maoist attacks, said that there was a strong possibility of suspension of night operations in the Naxal-hit areas.

"We are discussing the issue of suspending night operation in Orissa, Bihar, Bengal , Jharkhand and Chhatisgarh. A decision will be taken shortly," Railway Member (Traffic) Vivek Sahai said here.

Maoists are observing "Black Week" in five states and the Railways have received intelligence inputs of serious threat to rail properties during this period.

"There are intelligence reports of threat to railway properties from these elements (Maoists) as they are observing 'Black Week'," he said.

"If we halt train operations during night time then the railway time table has to be suspended for a few days. But we have not decided yet," he said.

The Railway Protection Force has issued red alert in five states and stepped up patrolling in the affected areas.

Meanwhile, the Home Minister P Chidambaram said, "It appears to be a case of sabotage where a portion of the railway track was removed. Whether explosives were used is not yet clear".

In a statement here, he said the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) had deployed four teams to assist the rail authorities in relief operations.

"A total of 132 personnel with necessary equipment have reached the site of the tragedy and are assisting the state government and railway authorities," he said.