It was the year 2009 when Naxal violence was at its peak in India. Then Naxalites in Jharkhand hijacked an express train at night.
Baloch rebels have hijacked the Zafar Express in Balochistan, Pakistan, grabbing the world’s attention. However, in India too, 16 years ago, a Rajdhani Express train was hijacked at night in Jharkhand, which created a stir in the entire country. This was the time when Naxalite violence was at its peak in the country. After hijacking the train, the Naxalites surrounded it from all sides.
On October 22, 2009 in West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand Naxalites took over the Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express. There were about 1000 passengers on the train. The train had started from Bhubaneshwar. As soon as the train entered Jharkhand at night in West Singhbhum district, some people started bursting crackers and waving red flags around the track about two kilometers before the train.
How it happened
It was strange that why at around 2.30 in the night people were standing on both sides of the track holding lanterns and red flags. The people standing on both sides of the track were signaling the train to stop. The driver reduced the speed a bit to understand what the matter was. In the forest between Bano and Raikera stations of West Singhbhum district, he saw that big logs of wood were kept on the track ahead. The driver had to stop the train. It stopped in the desolate forest.
Then within no time, about 200-250 armed Naxalites surrounded the train and took it under their control. This area was one of the Naxal-affected areas, where Maoist organizations were constantly carrying out violent activities to maintain their presence and influence.
