At 2:45 pm on Tuesday, the Delhi-Bhubaneswar Rajdhani was stalled by Maoist backed People's Committee against Police Atrocities near Bashthala station in the Midnapore district of West Bengal for hours on Tuesday.
The Delhi-Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express halts at Banshtala halt near Jhargram in West Midnapore district on Tuesday after its two drivers were kidnapped by Maoist-backed People's Committee against Police Atrocities demanding the immediate release of their leader Chhatradhar Mahato. The train was later secured from the Maoists and its drivers freed. (PTI Photo)
The government has said the situation is now under control. Home Minister P Chidambaram said: "The train, passengers are safe ... The CRPF has reached ... There is no sign of any adversary yet." The Home Minister also spoke to the driver and passengers of the train. (PTI Photo)
It began at about 2.45 pm, when the Rajdhani was stopped by hundreds of armed activists of the Maoist-backed People's Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA), who clambered on to the rail track waving red flags and forcing the train to stop about six km away from Jhargram in West Midnapore district, close to the Naxal stronghold of Lalgarh. (PTI Photo)
At 2:45 pm on Tuesday afternoon, the Delhi-Bhubaneswar Rajdhani was stalled by Maoist backed People’s Committee against Police Atrocities near Bashthala station in the Midnapore district of West Bengal. (Image Courtesy: Star Annado)
As the train chugged along the tracks on its way to Delhi from Bhubaneswar, hundreds of armed men appeared on the tracks, waving red flags. (NDTV Photo)
The driver and his assistant were then taken hostage. The armed men asked passengers to get out of the train. Officers of the Railway Protection Force who were on the train began exchanging fire with them. (Image Courtesy: Channel 10)
Amid reports that the PCPA was demanding the release of its leader Chhatradhar Mahato, the activists painted graffitti on the sides of the train in praise of him. Their demands had been laid bare-- Set free our leader. (Image Courtesy: Channel 10)
Speaking to NDTV, top Naxal leader Kishenji denied that his men are involved with the attack on the train. It was he who first said the PCPA was responsible. The PCPA is believed to be a front for the Naxals in the Lalgarh area. (NDTV Photo)
He warned the government not to send police forces into the area and asked Railway Minister Mamata Banerjie visit the area to negotiate with them. Mamata said she was ready to talk to anyone, but the passengers should be released. (NDTV Photo)
Right from the beginning it was made clear that the pasengers were safe. Though traumatised, the passengers said they had been treated rather well by the activists. (Image Courtesy: Channel 10)
After almost five hours of a nail-biting game of wait and watch, the Delhi-Bhubaneswar Rajdhani crisis came to an end with the Maoist-backed activists who had stalled the train in West Bengal, fleeing on the arrival of the CRPF.
