Two passengers were killed and over 47 others injured when eight bogies of the Tata-Bilaspur passenger train derailed after Maoists blew up railway tracks on Thursday night in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district.
According to initial reports, the train derailed after Maoists blew up a stretch of the railway track near Ghagra Halt half an hour before the train was to pass.
The area, bordering Orissa and Jharkhand, fell under Chakradharpur railway division.
Although details of injuries and extent of damages were sketchy till late in the night, according to preliminary reports, eight of the train's bogies were derailed.
"An explosion blew up a portion of the track, causing the derailment. Three bogies have been badly damaged," Union railways minister Mamata Banerjee told news agencies from New Delhi.
An accident relief train was deployed to the spot to take stock of the situation and help the injured. Senior railways officials were keeping an eye on the crisis, Banerjee informed.
Talking to a satellite TV channel, the train guard A Biswas informed that there was a sharp jerk after which the train swerved off the tracks. "Other than the engine and the brake van most of the train was derailed," he said.
{{/usCountry}}Talking to a satellite TV channel, the train guard A Biswas informed that there was a sharp jerk after which the train swerved off the tracks. "Other than the engine and the brake van most of the train was derailed," he said.
{{/usCountry}}Biswas further informed that he and the other train staff helped out around 50 injured passengers, with serious injuries in their body and head. "There are more injured people trapped under three of the badly damaged bogies," he said. Deputy Inspector General (Railways) Sindhu Hembram of Jharkhand confirmed to the media that Maoists were behind the explosion that caused the derailment. "There's no doubt that the Maoists did it. Our men will give more information once they reach the spot," he said.
Anil Saxena, Additional Director General, Public Relations (Railways), however, was not keen on blaming Maoist before further investigations. "It's too early to say anything. At this stage any conjecture that Maoists were behind this will nor be right," he said.