20 killed as train derails after Maoist attack in West Bengal
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
New Delhi, May 28, IRNA -- Maoists blasted rail tracks in West Midnapore district of West Bengal state in the wee hours Friday, derailing 13 coaches of a Mumbai-bound express train, five of which were hit by a goods train, leaving 20 dead and 104 others injured.
This is the second attack on civilians by Naxals this month.
The blast occurred when the Howrah-Kurla Lokmanya Tilak Gyaneshwari Super Deluxe Express was running between Khemasoli and Sardiya stations, about 135 km from Jhargram, South Eastern Railway PTI reported quoting official sources.
Twenty of the bodies were extricated from the mangled coaches of the train after the 13 coaches derailed with five toppling over an adjacent track, Additional Superintendent of Police, Jhargram, Mukesh Kumar said.
Indian Air Force helicopters have been pressed into service at the accident spot and have airlifted some of the injured to hospitals.
Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is at the accident spot, said that the blast which caused the express train to derail took place on the first day today of the a four-day 'Black week' called by the Maoists.
She announced Rs 5 lakh for the next of kin of each of the dead and Rs 1 lakh for the injured.
This is the second Maoist attack on civilians this month.
Naxals had blown up a civilian bus in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh on May 17, killing at least 36 people, including 12 Special Police Officers.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
