Gyaneshwari Express train derailment
Encyclopedia
The Jnaneswari Express derailment occurred on 28 May 2010 in the West Midnapore district of West Bengal
, India
. It was disputed as to whether sabotage or a bomb caused damage on the railway track, which in turn led to a train's derailment before an oncoming goods train hit the loose carriages killing at least 141 passengers.
said Naxal attacks were affecting the profitability of the railways: "We have lost Rs 500 crore because of Naxal bandhs and obstructions. There has been adverse impact on operations, freight loading and passenger traffic on a localised basis during bandh calls and other threats in vulnerable areas."
The derailment occurred 90 minutes after a Communist Party of India (Maoist)
four-day bandh
in the area began. It was termed a "black week" and security was put on high alert.
claimed responsibility for removing a 46 centimetres (18.1 in) length of railway track. At local time, a train with 13 carriages passing over the missing track derailed. The Howrah – Kurla Lokmanya Tilak Jnaneswari Super Deluxe Express was travelling from Howrah to Mumbai
. The derailed train was then struck by a goods train travelling in the opposite direction. At least 141 people died and more than 180 people were injured. The missing track was between Khemasoli and Sardiha stations. A section of the rail track was found to be missing and fishplate
s were loosened, suggesting sabotage.
Initially there was uncertainty as to whether the attack was a result of a blast or due to derailment of the train. Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee said a bomb blast was part of a "calculated attack" that caused the train to derail. She said "The driver of the train heard an explosion, so we are looking into that. We are aware that the Naxals have access to sophisticated bombs and improvised explosive devices."
helicopters were pressed into service at the accident spot, and airlifted some of the injured passengers to hospitals. A medical train was sent to the location. At least one person trapped in the train appeared to be alive.
(CID) of police from Jhargram in West Midnapore district. His was the second arrest made by the CID in the case after the prime accused Khagen Mahato.
The police found posters from the Maoist-affiliated Police Santras Birodhi Janosadharan Committee (People's Committee against Police Atrocities) (PCPA) claiming responsibility at the site. A PCPA spokesperson, however, denied involvement in the incident, instead blaming the CPI(M) of "hatching a plot" to malign the Railway Minister and of attempting to distance the PCPA from the people. After some days another suspect Bapi Mahato, another suspect of this tragedy was arrested from Adityapur of Saraikela District in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand.
5 lakh
to the kin of the dead and offer jobs to family members. The government of West Bengal announced that they would bear the cost of treatment for the victims.
Finance Minister
Pranab Mukherjee
condemned the attack, although he was seen as unusually cautious in blaming Maoists for triggering the derailment. He also appeared to deny there was a blast, in contrast to his cabinet colleague Mamata Banerjee. "I am deeply saddened by the tragedy. It appears to be a case of sabotage where a portion of the track was removed. Whether explosives were used is not yet clear." Indian Railway Minister
Mamata Banerjee
rushed to the location of the accident where she said she was aware of the Maoist-declared black days and security had been increased.
West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya
condemned the attack. He said "All our efforts have to be directed against this menace; on how the State and the country can be liberated from this threat...We will sensitise our forces and we will counter this Maoist threat. We knew they would be observing this week, but we had no idea that they would be committing this dastardly crime." He also warned that "they are coming from all sides."
.
Banerjee later called the incident a political conspiracy, while hinting at the involvement of elements of the ruling CPI (M) party.
and said the Naxals would investigate whether renegade factions may have been behind the attack. In regard to the Railways Ministry halting train traffic into Naxal affected areas during the night hours, Akaash said the Naxals would guarantee the safety and security of rail traffic into those regions.
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It was disputed as to whether sabotage or a bomb caused damage on the railway track, which in turn led to a train's derailment before an oncoming goods train hit the loose carriages killing at least 141 passengers.
Background
A few weeks before the attack the Indian Railway Minister Manmohan SinghManmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian...
said Naxal attacks were affecting the profitability of the railways: "We have lost Rs 500 crore because of Naxal bandhs and obstructions. There has been adverse impact on operations, freight loading and passenger traffic on a localised basis during bandh calls and other threats in vulnerable areas."
The derailment occurred 90 minutes after a Communist Party of India (Maoist)
Communist Party of India (Maoist)
The Communist Party of India is a Maoist political party in India which aims to overthrow the government of India through violent means. It was founded on 21 September 2004, through the merger of the People's War, and the Maoist Communist Centre . The merger was announced to the public on October...
four-day bandh
Bandh
Bandh , originally a Hindi word meaning 'closed', is a form of protest used by political activists in some countries like India and Nepal. During a Bandh, a political party or a community declares a general strike....
in the area began. It was termed a "black week" and security was put on high alert.
Derailment
The state police chief stated that Maoist NaxalitesNaxalite-Maoist insurgency
The Naxalite-Maoist insurgency is an ongoing conflict between Maoist groups, known as Naxalites or Naxals, and the Indian government.In 2006 Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called the Naxalites "The single biggest internal security challenge ever faced by our country."...
claimed responsibility for removing a 46 centimetres (18.1 in) length of railway track. At local time, a train with 13 carriages passing over the missing track derailed. The Howrah – Kurla Lokmanya Tilak Jnaneswari Super Deluxe Express was travelling from Howrah to Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
. The derailed train was then struck by a goods train travelling in the opposite direction. At least 141 people died and more than 180 people were injured. The missing track was between Khemasoli and Sardiha stations. A section of the rail track was found to be missing and fishplate
Fishplate
In rail terminology, a fishplate, splice bar or joint bar is a metal bar that is bolted to the ends of two rails to join them together in a track. The name is derived from fish, a wooden bar with a curved profile used to strengthen a ship's mast...
s were loosened, suggesting sabotage.
Initially there was uncertainty as to whether the attack was a result of a blast or due to derailment of the train. Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee said a bomb blast was part of a "calculated attack" that caused the train to derail. She said "The driver of the train heard an explosion, so we are looking into that. We are aware that the Naxals have access to sophisticated bombs and improvised explosive devices."
Rescue operation
Officially, 26 bodies were found, and a rescue team was working to find more bodies. Indian Air ForceIndian Air Force
The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
helicopters were pressed into service at the accident spot, and airlifted some of the injured passengers to hospitals. A medical train was sent to the location. At least one person trapped in the train appeared to be alive.
Investigation
During the course of the investigation into the derailment, Samir Mahato, a member of the Sidhu Kanhu Gana Militia -- the militant wing of the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) -- , was arrested by the Criminal Investigation DepartmentCriminal Investigation Department
The Crime Investigation Department is the branch of all Territorial police forces within the British Police and many other Commonwealth police forces, to which plain clothes detectives belong. It is thus distinct from the Uniformed Branch and the Special Branch.The Metropolitan Police Service CID,...
(CID) of police from Jhargram in West Midnapore district. His was the second arrest made by the CID in the case after the prime accused Khagen Mahato.
Responsibility
After the West Bengal police said that the Jnaneswari Express accident "appears to be the work of Maoists," the PCPA claimed responsibilityThe police found posters from the Maoist-affiliated Police Santras Birodhi Janosadharan Committee (People's Committee against Police Atrocities) (PCPA) claiming responsibility at the site. A PCPA spokesperson, however, denied involvement in the incident, instead blaming the CPI(M) of "hatching a plot" to malign the Railway Minister and of attempting to distance the PCPA from the people. After some days another suspect Bapi Mahato, another suspect of this tragedy was arrested from Adityapur of Saraikela District in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand.
Reaction
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed his grief over the loss of lives. The government of India said it would give Rs.Rupee
The rupee is the common name for the monetary unit of account in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, Mauritius, Seychelles, Maldives, and formerly in Burma, and Afghanistan. Historically, the first currency called "rupee" was introduced in the 16th century...
5 lakh
Lakh
A lakh is a unit in the Indian numbering system equal to one hundred thousand . It is widely used both in official and other contexts in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and is often used in Indian English.-Usage:...
to the kin of the dead and offer jobs to family members. The government of West Bengal announced that they would bear the cost of treatment for the victims.
Finance Minister
Finance Minister of India
The Minister of Finance, also known as the Finance Minister of India is a cabinet position in the Government of India and heads the Ministry of Finance. He drafts the general budget of the country, and is in charge of the national economy. Currently, Pranab Mukherjee holds the charge of finance...
Pranab Mukherjee
Pranab Mukherjee
Pranab Kumar Mukherjee is the current Finance Minister of India and leader of the current Lok Sabha.Mukherjee is a senior member of the Cabinet Committees on Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Parliamentary Affairs, Political Affairs, Prices, Security, Unique Identification Authority of India,...
condemned the attack, although he was seen as unusually cautious in blaming Maoists for triggering the derailment. He also appeared to deny there was a blast, in contrast to his cabinet colleague Mamata Banerjee. "I am deeply saddened by the tragedy. It appears to be a case of sabotage where a portion of the track was removed. Whether explosives were used is not yet clear." Indian Railway Minister
Ministry of Railways (India)
The Ministry of Railways in India is in charge of the Indian Railways, an organisation that operates as a monopoly in rail transport in India. Dinesh Trivedi is the current minister responsible for railways....
Mamata Banerjee
Mamata Banerjee
Mamata Banerjee is the 11th and current chief minister of the Indian state of West Bengal. She is the first woman to hold the office. Banerjee founded All India Trinamool Congress in 1997 and became chairperson, after separating from the Indian National Congress...
rushed to the location of the accident where she said she was aware of the Maoist-declared black days and security had been increased.
West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya
Buddhadeb Bhattacharya
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee is an Indian politician and a member of the politburo of the Communist Party of India . He was the Chief Minister of West Bengal from 2000 to 2011...
condemned the attack. He said "All our efforts have to be directed against this menace; on how the State and the country can be liberated from this threat...We will sensitise our forces and we will counter this Maoist threat. We knew they would be observing this week, but we had no idea that they would be committing this dastardly crime." He also warned that "they are coming from all sides."
Political blame-game
A day after the attack the Bhattacharya and Banerjee got into a war of words that was linked to the upcoming municipal elections in the province. It was alleged that Banerjee is backing pro-Maoist groups like the PCPA in her political battle against Bhattacharya's CPI-MCommunist Party of India (Marxist)
The Communist Party of India is a political party in India. It has a strong presence in the states of Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura. As of 2011, CPI is leading the state government in Tripura. It leads the Left Front coalition of leftist parties in various states and the national parliament of...
.
Trinamool Congress is trying to mobilise all the anti-Left forces including the Maoists. Not just in Lalgarh but also in Nandigram and Singur where they have launched movements. In both the places, they took the help of the Maoists." Nirupam SenNirupam SenNirupam Sen is from the 1969 batch of the Indian Foreign Service. His last posting prior to retirement was as Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations...
, Industries Minister in the West Bengal government.
"What were the people and tribals of Lalgarh looking for? They were simply looking for dignity, security and relief from abject poverty. And what did they get in return? They got the lathis and bullets as they were terrorised by the CPI-M and the police." Derek O'BrienDerek O'BrienDerek Shawn O'Brien is a drummer and who has been involved with many bands and projects throughout his career....
, TMC spokesperson.
Banerjee later called the incident a political conspiracy, while hinting at the involvement of elements of the ruling CPI (M) party.
Naxals
A spokesperson for the CPI-Maoists, "Comrade Akaash," contacted the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and said the Naxals would investigate whether renegade factions may have been behind the attack. In regard to the Railways Ministry halting train traffic into Naxal affected areas during the night hours, Akaash said the Naxals would guarantee the safety and security of rail traffic into those regions.
See also
- List of Indian rail accidents
- Timeline of the Naxalite-Maoist insurgencyTimeline of the Naxalite-Maoist insurgency- 1960s-1990s :* On April 22, 1980, the Communist Party of India People's War, commonly called as People's War Group was founded by Kondapalli Seetharamaiah....
- List of terrorist incidents involving railway systems
- Rafiganj train disasterRafiganj train disasterThe Rafiganj rail disaster was the derailment of a train on a bridge over the Dhave River in North-Central India, on 10 September 2002. At least 130 people were killed in the accident, which was reportedly due to sabotage by a local Maoist terrorist group, the Naxalites.- Overview :The accident...