8 rebel attacks on SER trains in 10 years

Jamshedpur: Maoist attacks on trains on the 250-km railway track between Jhargram and Rourkela are common. There were at least eight such incidents on this stretch of the South Eastern Railway in the last one decade.
The first rebel attack took place in December 2006 when Maoists stopped the Tata-Kharagpur MEMU at Chakulia station and snatched firearms from GRP and RPF personnel.
Three years later in October 2009, suspected Maoists stopped the Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express at Banstola station for three hours putting top SER zonal officials in a tizzy. Women cadres holding red flags had squatted on the track. However, there was no casualty on both occasions.
Another attack followed next month and this time there were two deaths. The rebels had damaged the rails between Manoharpur and Posaita stations in West Singhbhum that led to the derailment of eight coaches of the Tata-Bilaspur Express, killing two passengers and injuring 40.
In September 2012, security personnel foiled a bomb attack on the railway track when three powerful IEDs were found at Burudih in Potka. "Thursday's attack on railway personnel came after around five years. It's an eye opener and we will work accordingly to meet the security challenge," said Chakradharpur division senior commercial manager and spokesperson Satyam Prakash.
Kharagpur divisional manager Rajkumar Mangla said, "The railway police and the state government police will have to co-ordinate to ensure security (on this route)."
The Chakradharpur railway maintained that it has put in place a dedicated system of security appraisal a few years ago that has led to gradual improvement in the overall security network in the division.
"I cannot divulge the details of the renewed security system that we have put in place. But last night's incident has driven us to be more vigilant, surely," said divisional spokesperson Prakash.
When approached, a senior official in the divisional RPF conceded that the Kokpara incident has necessitated the need for augmenting joint patrolling by GRP, RPF and CRPF personnel.
"CRPF is carrying out operations against Maoists in districts that share borders with in Chakradhapur and Kharagpur divisions need to be brought in as an equal player in carrying out effective security work on tracks and at railway installation," said a RPF official preferring anonymity.
Meanwhile, passenger's outfit has urged the railways to augment security network in the naxal infested areas across the two divisions.
"Yesterday's incident has revived frightening memories of the 2009 and 2010. I would rather appeal to the top authorities in railway to take Kokpara incident seriously and not deal with it as one of incident," said divisional railway user's consultative committee functionary, Vijay Anand Moonka.