TIMES OF INDIA: “A WRONG POLICY RESPONSE”

Following the Gyaneshwari Express tragedy, night train services were discontinued in hazardous areas in Naxal-hit states. Reportedly, this moratorium - particularly in some sections of the South-Eastern Railway - has been extended on passenger trains for the second time till June 10.

Since the railway minister seems to doubt Maoists caused the derailment at all, there's policy confusion at the top. The Naxal menace is being underplayed even as it's pitched as the reason to suspend night runs. More, the Maoist threat isn't likely to vanish soon. What's the guarantee the deadline won't be pushed ahead yet again?

The authorities create the impression of abdicating responsibility on undertaking an urgent security and intelligence beef-up. This path of least resistance can only embolden trouble-makers.

A sizeable length of Indian Railways' 64,000 km network runs through Maoist-hit areas. How long can even routine track inspections be neglected, by citing lack of police escorts? It's about time the authorities took up a standing committee's suggestions to augment the Railway Protection Force. Also, as many as 80,000 safety related posts ^ including of gangmen who maintain tracks - are unfilled.

Nor can upgrade of sabotage-related early warning and detection systems be put off. With computerised track signalling, the Railways can have a better safety record.

Stalled service delivery can't be a policy response to criminal acts. Perpetrators of violence aim at creating a climate of fear that immobilises train travel, the lifeline of cross-country transportation, at great economic cost to the nation. To win against them, it's essential to get the message across that the nation can't be terrorised into submission. That means keeping essential services going while ensuring better protection of their users.

Courtesy : http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

DAMAGE CONTROL BY MAOISTS; SAY WON'T ATTACK TRAINS - TIMES OF INDIA

31-06-2010

KOLKATA/SARDIHA: The Maoists are in desperate damage-control mode, trying to distance themselves from a rogue unit of the PCPA militia that sabotaged the rails and caused the Gyaneshwari Express crash, killing 148 people.

On Sunday, the rebels issued a statement denying their involvement in the massacre and urging the government to resume passenger train services at night that have been halted since the derailment. Senior intelligence officers believe that the rebels might even murder the leaders of the village militia to repair the damage to their image.

"In typical Maoist style, the rebels may execute the men responsible for the derailment, branding them class enemies or traitors," said a police officer, pointing out several recent murders where PCPA men were killed by Maoists.

Maoist state committee member Akash issued a second press statement on the sabotage on Sunday, saying that they "never target the common people". "The government can resume train services on the section at night. No harm will be done from our side," he said.

However, it will be very difficult for the red brigade to wash their hands of the incident as it happened in their core zone and the modus operandi has all the hallmarks of a Maoist attack. PCPA, too, has denied any involvement in the sabotage, but police refuse to buy the rebels' claim of innocence.

Like other top state police officers, including state DGP Bhupinder Singh, ADG CID Raj Kanojia on Sunday hinted that the sabotage was the handiwork of Maoists or their local militia group active in the area. On Sunday, a team of CID officers and forensic experts visited the accident site again and collected samples of the removed pandrol clips and stone chips from the track.

The CID report is expected in a week. Kanojia confirmed that the rail track had been cut and did not mention any explosion. The FIR lodged with Jhargram GRP by the driver of Gyaneshwari Express was amended on Sunday to add 'murder', 'attempt to murder' and 'grievous hurt' charges.

TIMES OF INDIA - THE MAOISTS ARE IN DESPERATE DAMAGE-CONTROL MODE

31-05-2010

KOLKATA/SARDIHA: The Maoists are in desperate damage-control mode, trying to distance themselves from a rogue unit of the PCPA militia that sabotaged the rails and caused the Gyaneshwari Express crash, killing 148 people.

On Sunday, the rebels issued a statement denying their involvement in the massacre and urging the government to resume passenger train services at night that have been halted since the derailment.

Senior intelligence officers believe that the rebels might even murder the leaders of the village militia to repair the damage to their image.

"In typical Maoist style, the rebels may execute the men responsible for the derailment, branding them class enemies or traitors," said a police officer, pointing out several recent murders where PCPA men were killed by Maoists.

Maoist state committee member Akash issued a second press statement on the sabotage on Sunday, saying that they "never target the common people".

"The government can resume train services on the section at night. No harm will be done from our side," he said. However, it will be very difficult for the red brigade to wash their hands of the incident as it happened in their core zone and the modus operandi has all the hallmarks of a Maoist attack.

PCPA, too, has denied any involvement in the sabotage, but police refuse to buy the rebels' claim of innocence. Like other top state police officers, including state DGP Bhupinder Singh, ADG CID Raj Kanojia on Sunday hinted that the sabotage was the handiwork of Maoists or their local militia group active in the area.

On Sunday, a team of CID officers and forensic experts visited the accident site again and collected samples of the removed pandrol clips and stone chips from the track.

The CID report is expected in a week. Kanojia confirmed that the rail track had been cut and did not mention any explosion.

The FIR lodged with Jhargram GRP by the driver of Gyaneshwari Express was amended on Sunday to add 'murder', 'attempt to murder' and 'grievous hurt' charges.