Maoists attack passenger train in Bihar, loot arms

TNN

Patna, 13 June 2013: Suspected Maoists attacked a train near Jamui, about 170 km from here on Thursday noon, hijacked the train, took its driver hostage and looted arms of the escort party. The extremists stopped 13331 Dhanbad-Patna Intercity Express and opened fire. The driver of the train and some passengers were hit in the firing.

 

TOI Patna special correspondent Pranav Kumar Choudhary, who is travelling in the same train, said the Naxals, mainly comprising armed girls, appeared from nowhere as the train came to a screeching halt in a forest area. It appeared that some of their comrades were already in the train who pulled the chain at the specified spot. At that time, several bogies of the train were in a tunnel.

 

The extremists attacked one or more general compartments and forced the passengers to get down. They also looted them at the gunpoint. This incident happened around 1pm and the train was stranded there for more than two hours after the incident, and a lot of movement of the extremists was going on between Janui and Mananpur under Danapur division of the East Central Railway. The train moved well after two hours of the attack.

 

 

The attack and hijacking of the train caused enormous terror among the passengers who hurriedly shut the windows and locked the doors.

 

The police headquarters in Patna said the force has been rushed to the spot but Choudhary said the passengers were not aware of the arrival of force. "We still hear the gunshots," he said. 

 

Railway officials described it as the biggest ever attack on train in a broad day light in Bihar. Rail traffic remained disrupted on both up and down lines since 1pm. Railway officials said a reinforcement was being dispatched to rescue passengers. The Naxal attack in that region had occurred in the past too.

 

Principal secretary home Amir Subhani said at least two people were seriously injured in the attack.

 

When contacted, Rail SP Amitabh Kumar Das said he was on his way to the attack spot.

 

"The extremists have looted the arms of the escort party and it appeared that attack was aimed at looting the arms and ammunition," Amitabh Kumar Das said.