Kolkata, Dec 12 (Inditop.com) Maoists Saturday claimed responsibility for ambushing a passenger train in Malda in West Bengal that left a railway policeman dead, police said.
Seven Maoists boarded the 605 Up Katihar-Malda train in the guise of passengers and attacked the Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel between Samsi and Milangarh stations in Malda district Friday night.
Four suspects have been detained for questioning, police said.
Additional Director General (Rail) Dilip Mitra said the rebels shot constable Arun Bhadra in the stomach when he tried to resist them. Bhadra died in the Malda district general hospital. Another constable, Sandip Singh, sustained a bullet injury in the leg.
The extremists fled with the jawans’ rifles and 60 rounds of ammunition after stopping the train by pulling the chain. Some witnesses said the rebels got off at the Milangarh station shouting Maoist slogans.
Communist Party of India-Maoist politburo member Koteshwar Rao alias Kishanjee claimed responsibility for the incident.
The state government has so long maintained that the Maoists are active in three western districts of West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura.
“We now have to rethink and try to find out to what extent they have extended their influence to other parts of the state,” a senior police officer said.
