Maoist trigger train crash:100 killed

News Watch News Service
JHARGRAM, 28 MAY: At least 100 persons were killed and more than 150 injured when thirteen coaches of the Mumbai-bound 2102 Up Howrah-Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Jnaneswari Express derailed following a suspected sabotage on tracks by Maoists and within minutes, five of its derailed coaches was struck by a speeding goods train near Jhargram in Midnapore West in the early hours today.
The accident occurred in the Maoist-dominated forest areas between Surdiah and Khemasuli halts in Kharagpur-Tatanagar section of South Eastern Railway (SER) around 1.30 a.m. today.
The DGP, Bhupindar Singh who was among the first to arrive at the accident site said, police have found PCPA leaflets claiming responsibility for the attack. The PCPA, however, denied having any hand behind the incident.
Many passengers are still trapped in two mangled coaches of the passenger train while the CRPF personnel, Indian Air Force (IAF) and National Disaster Response Force of Indian Railways are striving hard to pull them out.
The injured passengers have been admitted to the Kharagpur rail hospital, Kharagpur state general hospital and Midnapore Medical College and Hospital. The rest of the passengers who escaped fatal injuries were shifted to Kharagpur and Kolkata.
Railway officials suspect that Maoist supporters may have removed the fishplate that caused the derailment of the passenger train. However, the deaths were mainly caused by the goods train ramming into five passenger coaches S-3, S-4, S-5. S-6 and S-7 derailed.
End

Scuffle in Congress meeting before Pranab Mukherjee

News Watch News Network
KOLKATA: A scuffle broke out between the two groups of Congress supporters at Lokosanskriti Bhawan in Panihati, North24 Parganas this afternoon just before Pranab Mukherjee, President of Pradesh Congress Committee was to address a ‘party workers meeting’, was organised by the North 24 Parganas district committee of Congress.
The chaos begun when Mukherjee arrived at the hall to address the party workers. A group of Congress supporters led by Kalidas Dutta, a district Congress leader demanded that Dutta should be invited to address the gathering and he should be allowed to share the podium with Pranab. But another group of Congress supporters, backed by Devi Ghoshal, president of North 24 Pargans district Congress tried to resist Mr Dutta, while he was trying to sit in the podium, soon the scuffle broke out between the two groups.
Meeting was delayed for half an hour following the chaos. Later Mukherjee met the press.
11 MAY, 2010

CPI-ML leader shot dead

News Watch News Network
KOLKATA: Bahar Ali Sheik(45) secretary of CPI-ML of Nadia district was shot dead by a gang of unidentified miscreants near Dhananjaypur at Nakashipara in Nadia last night.
Police said Bahar was returning to his residence at Dahananjaypur. He was killed just five kilometer away from his home. His body was sent for autopsy. Police are yet to ascertain the death. Police however suspect he was killed following a political rivalry.
Body of a middle aged man was found in a field beside a road today. Police said man was identified as Utpal Roy, a resident of Chandpara. He went missing since last night. Several injury marks were found in his body. Body was sent for an autopsy. Police are yet to ascertain the death.
11 MAY, 2010

Landmine scare disrupts traffic near Jhargram

News Watch News Network
KOLKATA: Security forces on Tuesday launched a massive search after they suspected a landmine planted near the Highway -9 in Jhargram in West Midnapore district. A senior police officer said that security personnel saw few holes beside the highway while patrolling the highway and it grew their suspicion about the possible planting of a landmine.
A bomb squad, which accompanied the security forces, immediately rushed to the spot to detect the landmine. Traffic was disrupted for about two hours on Jhargram-Lodhasuli Road following the searching operation.
The police have launched a massive combing operation in the area, police said. CRPF jawans surrounded the area.
In another development, police have arrested a suspected CPI (Maoist) activist Rabiul Sardar today from Charmundala near Rangamati in Berhampore in Murshidabad district. Police seized one revolver and a leaflet from him. He will be produced before Berhampore court today.
11 MAY, 2010

'Counter Insurgency Force' in state soon

News Watch News Network
KOLKATA: West Bengal government is going to launch a “Counter Insurgency Force” very soon to combat the large-scale subversive activities of the CPI-Maoists and other terrorist outfit groups like KLO in the state.
Bhupinder Singh, director general of police of the state announced this Writers' building today. He said they will set up the headquarters of the force at Garia in South 24 Parganas. He also added that they will set up training centers for the force in several places like Purulia, Salua and North Bengal.
Yesterday a meeting was held between the senior officers of police and railway authorities at Fairlie Place, headquarters of Eastern Railway to implement seven point resolution. Earlier resolution was taken on 20.01.2010 during meeting with the home secretaries of different states at New Delhi.
A senior official of railway said joint strategy are like to visit place of occurrence in case of explosion or sabotage by CPI-Maoist in railways stations especially in night. They also discussed how to initiate an quick relief and rescue work. Others resolution are escorting trains in inter state border areas, to combat offence of drugging in trains and at stations, ways and means to fight increasing terrorist activities,measures to improve passenger’s security in Metro Railway, modernization of forces, with state of the art security gadgets and surveillance as well as access control equipment.
6 MAY,2010

Man killed in accident

News Watch News Network
KOLKATA: Anjan Roy(35), a resident of Agartala in Tripura was killed after being hit by a Tatasumo on VIP Road at Bangur Avenue in Laketown this morning.
Police said that the accident took place around 10.30 am today when the victim, was returning from Dum Dum Airport where he went to see-off some of his relatives. When he was crossing VIP Road at Bangur, the driver of a Tatasumo, lost control and hit him. The car driver however managed to flee away leaving the vehicle. Local residents rushed to the spot and the Roy was taken to a local hospital where he was declared brought dead. Traffic was disrupted for about half an hour following the accident.
6 MAY, 2010

Three killed in storm

News Watch News Network
KOLKATA: Three persons including two kids were killed and eight injured following storm and lightning in the city and its suburban areas.
Rabindranath Sil and his daughter Rubi were killed after coming into contact with a high- tension wire at Ramakantapur near Kabardanaga in Thakurpukur area in South 24 Parganas.
Incident occurred while they were returning home from a dancing school. The girl went to practice dance at the local dancing school. The wire snapped and fell in the ground.
In another case Netai mandal(11) was killed after being struck by lighting at Srinath Palli in Salt Lake. He was declared brought dead at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Eight persons were injured after being struck by lightning at Rabindra Sarovar. They were admitted to a nursing home.
2 MAY, 2010

Mamata announces 141 candidates’ list for KMC election

News Watch News Network
KOLKATA: Trinamul Congress leader Mamata Banerjee today announced candidates for all 141 seats in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation(KMC)election and she ruled out the seat sharing with Congress.
She said as Congress had announced their candidates’ list for KMC election on Saturday, so they will not share any seat with them.
West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee announced candidates for 88 seats on Saturday as party high command gave a green signal to announce the list of the candidates for the KMC election. Earlier Trinamool Congress offered Congress only 25 wards against their demand for 51.
Mamata said: There is no question of a friendly contest with Congress.
She also added that Congress refused to give them a single seat in Murshidabad, but Trinamul Congress agreed to give them 25 seats for KMC election.
Meanwhile a BJP leader today said that party was ready to build an alliance with Trinamool Congress after the latter's failure in seat-sharing with Congress for the May 30 polls in the KMC election.
Rahul Sinha, state president of BJP said time has come to forge an anti left alliance to oust CPI-M led Left Front.
2 MAY, 2010