At least 65 people were killed and over 200 injured when a train derailed in West Bengal, India. Suspected Maoist rebels triggered the attack which occurred in the Howrah-Kurla Lokmanya Tilak Gyaneshwari Super Deluxe Express. The train, which runs from Kolkata to Mumbai, had thirteen coaches derailed, five of which were subsequently struck by a freight train coming in the opposite direction. The train derailed near the city of Sardiha, about 90 miles (150 km ) southwest of the state capital of Kolkata. The region is a Maoist stronghold where multiple attacks have occurred in the recent past. The exact cause of the disaster was unclear, with some officials claiming an explosion had led to the attack, while some unaffected passengers stating they heard no blast. However, the driver said he had heard an explosion in the attack which derailed as many as ten passenger coaches. The country's railways minister Mamata Bannerjee said the combined effect of sabotage to the tracks and a bomb blast led to the incident. According to her, there was "definitely sabotage" and the bomb blast had led to the derailment. "From whatever I have been told the apprehension is the Maoists were involved," she added. Police officials mentioned they were investigating whether the removal of the "fish plates" was the primary cause of the attack. Air Force helicopters came to the scene at dawn as local television footage showed onlookers standing on the top of the affected carriages, as soldiers cut holes in the roofs with a gas-powered circular saw. "There was a massive jerk, and we thought the Maoists had stopped the train to hijack it," another unidentified witness told local media. "But thank God it was an accident … at least many people are saved. This area is very dangerous, very dangerous." The Maoists guerillas who are known as "Naxalites" in India are powerful force in Chhattisgarh, Orissa, West Bengal, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand, which are the relatively poorer states of India. In the past few years, poor or landless peasants and tribesman have rendered their support towards the insurgents, due to the wealth gap and as a result of the former losing their land to government-aided mining companies. 
At least 65 people were killed and over 200 injured when a train derailed in West Bengal, India. Suspected rebels triggered the attack which occurred in the Howrah-Kurla Lokmanya Tilak Gyaneshwari Super Deluxe Express. The train, which runs from Kolkata to Mumbai, had thirteen coaches derailed, five of which were subsequently struck by a freight train coming in the opposite direction. The train derailed near the city of Sardiha, about 90 (150 ) southwest of the state capital of Kolkata. The region is a Maoist stronghold where multiple attacks have occurred in the recent past. The exact cause of the disaster was unclear, with some officials claiming an explosion had led to the attack, while some unaffected passengers stating they heard no blast. However, the driver said he had heard an explosion in the attack which derailed as many as ten passenger coaches. The country's railways minister said the combined effect of sabotage to the tracks and a bomb blast led to the incident. According to her, there was "definitely sabotage" and the bomb blast had led to the derailment. "From whatever I have been told the apprehension is the Maoists were involved," she added. Police officials mentioned they were investigating whether the removal of the "fish plates" was the primary cause of the attack. helicopters came to the scene at dawn as local television footage showed onlookers standing on the top of the affected carriages, as soldiers cut holes in the roofs with a gas-powered circular saw. "There was a massive jerk, and we thought the Maoists had stopped the train to hijack it," another unidentified witness told local media. "But thank God it was an accident ... at least many people are saved. This area is very dangerous, very dangerous." The Maoists guerillas who are known as "Naxalites" in India are powerful force in Chhattisgarh, Orissa, West Bengal, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand, which are the relatively poorer states of India. In the past few years, poor or landless peasants and tribesman have rendered their support towards the insurgents, due to the wealth gap and as a result of the former losing their land to government-aided mining companies. Sister links
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