New Delhi/ Kolkata: The train blocked by alleged Maoist supporters in West Bengal’s West Midnapore district on Tuesday is “secure” and will resume its journey soon, said Union Home Minister P Chidambaram in New Delhi.
Police forces have secured the New Delhi-bound Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express at Banstala railway station near Jhargram.
"The state police have reached the spot and the train has been secured," said Chidambaram. "The released train will move in the next few minutes. The train is safe and all the passengers are safe."
Chidambaram, who was speaking some five hours after the Rajdhani was blocked, denied reports that there was any exchange of fire with the guerrillas who had abducted the driver and assistant driver of the train.
"I would like the media to show some restraint. Don't report rumours. A civilian driver has been injured. There was no exchange of fire. No CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) person has been injured," he said.
IANS reports the driver and assistant driver of the New Delhi-bound Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express were abducted on Tuesday by activists of a Maoist-backed tribal outfit at a station in West Midnapore district of West Bengal, police said.
Railway and police sources said the 2443A UP Rajdhani Express was stopped at 1445 hrs IST in South Eastern Railway's Kharagpur division by a group of people who were squatting on the track at Banstala Halt station a little after the train had left Jhargram.
Maoist leader Kishenji speaking to CNN-IBN denied any role in the abduction, but he said Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee or some senior Railway official should come forward and meet the tribals.
He also said the government should release political prisoners, including Chhatradhar Mahato, the leader of the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities.
The protesters who blocked the train were allegedly members of the Maoist-backed People's Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) which has called an indefinite shutdown in West Midnapore district in support of its 33-point charter of demands. The charter includes "stopping police torture on innocent tribals" and "withdrawal of joint security forces" deployed to flush out Maoists from the Lalgarh belt in the district.
(With inputs from IANS, PTI and CNN-IBN Correspondents. )
Comments
0 comment