Play safe: No night trains in Maoist-hit areas yet

6 December 2011

biswabrata goswami
MIDNAPORE, 6 DEC: The death of Maoist leader Mallojula Koteswara Rao alias Kishenji in an alleged encounter with the security forces may have sent a message to the state government that the Left-wing movement has been tamed in West Bengal, but the Indian Railways seem to have a different opinion.
The authorities of the Indian Railways, who were once keen to restart night trains, at least partially, in Maoist-hit areas of the state soon after the Trinamul Congress came in power, are now not eager, especially along the routes of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia.
Night operations of Express trains were suspended after last year’s Jnaneswari Express derailment where 150 persons were killed and several others injured. Till date the night services have not been resumed fearing another Maoist attack. Five Mail or Express trains ~ three daily and two weekly ~ have been rescheduled following suspension of night operations to avoid troubled areas of Jhargram in West Midnapore and Purulia.
A few days ago, a section of railway authorities met Home ministry officials to discuss resumption of night trains along Kharagpur-Tata section, but within 48 hours, the station master at Bhagabangola in Murshidabad had received threats over phone about a “hit” on the Sealdah-Lalgola Hazarduari Express.
But, incidents like the one in Bhagabangola, which prompted the Railways to halt the 13114 Down Hazarduari Express and inspect tracks besides alerting security agencies, have made officials apprehensive. “Incidents like this make it difficult to run any operation in certain pockets,” said an official.
“The South Eastern Railway had deployed additional RPF commandos and was running pilot locomotives at night, but even after the death of the Maoist leader, we are very much apprehensive of a retaliation from the rebels,” a senior railway official in Kharagpur said.
A senior police officer, however, said, “The coordinated operations by the Central and state police in Junglemahal gradually started gaining ground and the Maoists have already been cornered. The death of Kishenji indicates that they had little space to fall back. But now the government will have to make serious effort to improve the life of tribals in all these Naxalite-hit areas in the state. Otherwise, the problem might raise its head in coming days again.”
“Once we are confident, we will immediately start running of trains during night hours,” the officer said.