Updated at 2.20 pm IST
Naxals Release Passengers on Train
TNN
New Delhi, Apr 22: The hostage crisis on board a train at Latehar in Jharkhand has ended with the Naxalites releasing the passengers. All the passengers are Maoists execute several attacks across Jharkhand and Bihar ahead of the second phase of Lok Sabha elections on Thursday.
believed to be safe. Negotiations are on with the Naxalites on telephone.
The train will now go to Daltonganj railway station in Palamau.
Early on Wednesday, Naxalites took a passenger train with 700 people on board, hostage, striking yet again ahead of the second phase of Lok Sabha polls.
The train was going from Barkakana in Jharkhand to Mugalsarai in UP when it was hijacked at around 7-7.30am near Hehegarha railway station in Jharkhand's Latehar district.
Unconfirmed reports claim there were around 200 Naxals who boarded the Gomo-Mogulsarai BDM passenger train.
3-4 helicopters and Railway Protection Force were pressed into action to control the situation. Additional forces were also rushed to the spot.
The train, with nine coaches, "is packed to capacity. Each coach has a capacity of 70 to 80 passengers and people were even standing on the footboards of the coaches," Railway PRO in Dhanbad, Amerendra Das said, indicating that there were nearly 700 passengers in the train.
"As per our information, all the passengers are safe and unharmed," he said.
There have been several attacks across Jharkhand and Bihar today after Naxalites called for a 24-hour bandh which started at midnight to boycott polls in the two states.
Earlier on Wednesday, suspected Naxalites killed a truck driver and set ablaze nine trucks in Bihar's Gaya district and bombed a block office in Aurangabad district, police said. ( Watch )
Over 100 armed Maoists attacked trucks on the busy Grand Trunk Road near Barachatti in Gaya, about 100 km from here, at around 12.30am. They forcibly stopped the trucks at gun point and torched nine of the vehicles.
A truck driver, Lakshman Yadav, was shot dead while trying to escape with his truck.
A group of armed Maoists also bombed the Dev block development office in Aurangabad district, which is about 50 km from Gaya.
"They used explosives. The building was badly damaged," said Gaya Superintendent of Police M.R. Naik.
"We have received information about violence by Maoists in Gaya and Aurangabad districts. Security reinforcements have been sent there," said Bihar police chief D N Gautam.
The Delhi-Ranchi Rajdhani Express earlier today had a narrow escape when Naxalites blasted the railway track at Uttari in Palamau district after which the train was diverted.
On April 15 nine people, including security personnel, were killed in a landmine blast. In retaliation, security men killed five people suspected to be Naxalites. Naxalites however claim the people killed were villagers and are demanding compensation. They also want the security personnel involved in the attack to be arrested.
At least 16 people were killed in Naxalite violence during the first phase of Lok Sabha polls on April 16.
TOI
New Delhi, Apr 22: Naxals struck once again ahead of the second phase of Lok Sabha polls by taking a passenger train with 700-800 people on board, hostage on Wednesday.
The train was going from Barkana in Jharkhand to Mugalsarai in UP when it was hijacked at around 7-7.30am.
Naxals later took the train to Latehar railway station. Unconfirmed reports claim there are around 200 Naxals who boarded the train.
Jharkhand police in the area claim all the passengers are safe, so far. Four helicopters and Railway Protection Force has been pressed into action to control the situation. Additional forces have been rushed to the spot.
There has been a spurt in attacks after Naxalites called for a bandh to boycott polls in Jharkhand and Bihar.
Earlier on Wednesday, suspected Naxalites killed a truck driver and set ablaze nine trucks in Bihar's Gaya district and bombed a block office in Aurangabad district, police said.
Over 100 armed Maoists attacked trucks on the busy Grand Trunk Road near Barachatti in Gaya, about 100 km from here, at around 12.30am. They forcibly stopped the trucks at gun point and torched nine of the vehicles.
A truck driver, Lakshman Yadav, was shot dead while trying to escape with his truck.
A group of armed Maoists also bombed the Dev block development office in Aurangabad district, which is about 50 km from Gaya.
"They used explosives. The building was badly damaged," said Gaya Superintendent of Police M.R. Naik.
"We have received information about violence by Maoists in Gaya and Aurangabad districts. Security reinforcements have been sent there," said Bihar police chief D N Gautam.
Thirteen of the state's 40 seats will go to the polls on Thursday. The other two rounds will be held April 30 and May 7. The first phase was held for 13 seats on April 16 .