Shocker: Hostage Drama on Rajdhani Express

In a shocking incident 1200 people were taken hostage on Tuesday as Maoists forcibly halted the New Delhi-Bhubaneshwar Rajdhani Express to a halt near West Bengal-Jharkhand border area.

The Maoists demanded Union Railway Minister to release Chhatradhar Mahato in return of the release of the passengers. According to reports, at 3PM 500 people, including women and children, had gathered around the railway line, waved red flag and pelted stones forcing the train driver to stop the train. As soon as the train halted, armed men boarded the train and overpowered the drivers and the guard. The Naxals then snatched everyone's mobile phones and proceeded to loot eatables, water and blankets in the train.

The People’s Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA) has claimed responsibility for the attack. “There are around 1,000 armed people, including women, around the train. There is no one from railways on the spot and the GRP personnel got down at Kharagpur. There is no electricity in the train and it is getting darker here.” a passenger had said.

According to Home minister P Chidambaram the passengers on board are now safe and that the Centre has rushed a relief train to bring back the passengers. "The train is safe. All passengers are safe... good news is the train is safe. CRPF and state police have reached the spot and the area has been secured. There is no sign of any other adversary there," Chidambaram said. He also denied that there was any sort of exchange between the Maoists and the security forces. "There was firing and a civilian driver was injured but there was no injury to CRPF personnel and there was no exchange of fire," Chidambaram said.

A relief train has been rushed to Orissa with Doctors ans relief supplies which will bring back the passengers aboard the Rajdhani Express.