In a major security lapse, heavily armed group of Maoist rebels attacked a train in Eastern India on Thursday killing three persons including two policemen.
New Delhi, June 13/Nationalturk – A heavily armed group of Maoist rebels attacked a train in Eastern India on Thursday killing three persons including two policemen.
Media reports that over 100 well armed Maoist rebels stopped a train near Jamui, a small town 230 kilometers southeast of Patna in India’s Eastern State of Bihar this afternoon.
Reports said after the train came to halt, Maoists opened indiscriminate fire on the train from different directions. The rebels also attacked Railway Protection Force (RPF) and paramilitary CRPF personnel, who were escorting the train.
A civilian and an RPF personal were killed and five other persons injured in the attack. “Later, a police inspector was also found dead. The rebels also took away three self-loading rifles belonging to the security men”.
The injured persons have been hospitalized. The doctors attending on them have termed condition of two of them as critical.
India’s wire news agency PTI quoted Bihar’s Additional Director General of Police (ADG), Law and Order, S K Bharadwaj as saying that around 150 Maoists forcibly stopped the train near Kunder Halt between Jamui and Mananpur railway stations at 1320 hours. “They fired indiscriminately for about half-an-hour on the train and its passengers. The Maoists also looted weapons from two RPF personnel and later let the train go towards its onward journey”.
Maoists fled to forest area, combing operation on: Police
Police officials said the rebels fled into nearby forest area after security me on the train fired back. “Immediately after the rebel attack, additional police and paramilitary personnel were rushed to the area and they have launched a massive manhunt to track down the attackers. “The combing operation was going on,” they said.
They said the Maoist rebels also detonated explosives to deter the security men from chasing them.
“It appears that the Maoists attacked the train to loot passengers as also weapons from the RPF escort party,” they added.
Indian Minister of State for Home Affairs R P N Singh termed the Maoist attack as unfortunate. “The attack shows the frustration of Maoists because their sources for arms and ammunition have dried up. It is unfortunate that they have now started targeting innocent civilians.”
He, however, said the government will take all measures to fight Maoists.
Earlier on May 25, 2013 over 150 Maoist rebels had attacked a convoy of cars carrying local leaders and supporters of India’s ruling Congress party after a political rally in Chhattisgarh state, also in the country’s east. The attack left 28 people including some Congress leaders and former ministers dead and 24 others injured.
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Faiz Ahmad / NationalTurk India News
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