Train, released by Maoists, all set to reach Delhi from Bashthala: Passengers safe
Bashthala (West Bengal) / New Delhi:
The Delhi-bound Bubaneshwar Rajdhani
Express, which was abducted and released by pro-Maoist organisations, is
all set to start from the Bashthala railway station. According to Union Home Minister
P. Chidambaram, the relief train has already reached the spot and the Central
Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has taken control of the train. "The state police
have reached the spot and the train has been secured," said Chidambaram. "The
released train will move in the next few minutes. The train is safe and all the
passengers are safe," he added. Chidambaram, also denied reports that there were
any exchange of fire with the red ultras who had abducted the driver and assistant
driver of the train. "I would like the media to show some restraint. Don't report
rumours. A civilian driver has been injured. There was no exchange of fire. No
CRPF person has been injured," he said. A medical team is also accompanying the
relief train. Meanwhile, the Railway ministry has suspended all the trains on
the Jhernram-Sardia route till further orders.
Activists of the pro-Maoist group, the
People's Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA), had abducted the New Delhi-bound
Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express on Tuesday evening. Earlier,
both Chidambaram and West Bengal Chief Minister Budhadeb Bhattacharjee took a
firm stand to not release any of the activists demanded by the pro-Maoist groups.
The pro-Maoists were made to toe down and release the train after a five hour-long
abduction drama.
