The Hindu : Naxals blast railway engine

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 16, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Naxals blast railway engine

By Our Staff Reporter

NIZAMABAD DEC. 15. Suspected People's War naxalites struck after a long lull by blasting a diesel railway engine on its way to Nizamabad between Kamareddy-Uppalwai railway stations of the South Central Railway in the early hours of today.

Reports reaching here said that about 25 naxals reportedly forced the lone engine coming from Mirzapalli railway station in Medak district to come to a halt near Rangampet village under Sadashivnagar police station limits.

The naxals first put up a red signal and also pitched red flags near the track. Track works going on this section came in handy for the naxals in stopping the engine.

The engine driver, Manikyam, the assistant driver, Chitti Raj, and the guard, Yadagiri, noticing the signal, slowed down the engine. But, on seeing the naxalites moving around with weapons, the driver tried to increase the speed. The naxals noticing this fired two rounds at the driver's cabin forcing the panic-stricken crew to stop the engine.

The naxals at gunpoint forced the crew to alight, whisked away to a distance and asked to keep quiet. Gelatine sticks were then placed around the engine and it was blasted.

The Superintendent of Police, Shanka Brata Bagchi, told The Hindu that naxals belonging to the National Highway area committee of the PW owned up responsibility.

They left behind a letter stating that the act was in protest against the killing of top PW leaders in the Koyyur encounter three years ago. Surprisingly, the martyr's week observed by the banned outfit had passed off peacefully on December 9.

Following the incident, train services on the Nizamabad-Kamareddy line were disrupted. The railway police said two passenger trains leaving Nizamabad for Bollarum were cancelled.

The Bollarum-Nizamabad express was running late by a few hours. The railway police said the naxals reportedly took advantage of track works going on near Rangampet. The railway engine comes once a week to Nizamabad to take back wagons loaded with goods to Secunderabad.

The Nizamabad Station Manager, Thimmappa, and other railway officials visited the scene. A crane was requisitioned to remove the remains of the blasted engine.

The Kamareddy DSP, Raghava Reddy, and other police officers visited the spot.

Telephone exchange targeted

Our Guntur Staff Reporter writes: PW naxalites blasted a telephone exchange in Adigoppula village of Durgi mandal in the district last night.

According to information reaching here, at least 10 naxalites reached the telephone exchange and planted bombs inside the building. They also doused part of the office with kerosene and set it on fire.

The exchange was partially damaged and one communication panel was said to have been smashed in the blast. The naxalites blasted the telephone exchange demanding the production of Barise Kotaiah, K. China Daveedu and T. Venkateswarlu, who were arrested by the police on Friday evening, in court.

A report from Karimnagar said naxalites detonated the house belonging to a TDP leader at Chinnapur village of Dharmapuri mandal last night. However, the house was partially damaged as one of the two landmines planted did not explode.

Police sources said three armed naxalites led by the commander, Hari, and two women cadres went to the village and woke up the parents of the former single window chairman, Vikram Reddy, who were residing in the house and took them out. Later, they planted the landmines placed in two buckets and triggered them.

The naxalites left a note at the site stating that they had resorted to the act in protest against "police repression.''

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