PATNA: Senior BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy today briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the derailment of the Dibrugarh-bound Rajdhani Express in Bihar, while later stating that it could be the handiwork of Maoists.
“I briefed the Prime Minister about the details related to the train accident, including rescue and relief work and evacuation of stranded passengers by the district administration and the railway authorities,” Rudy, the Saran MP, told PTI from the spot where he was camping since 4.30 AM.
The Prime Minister was keen to know about the relief work during the 10 minute conversation, he said.
Asked by the PM about the administration and state government launching rescue and relief work and evacuation of passengers, Rudy said he told Modi that the local authorities were doing their job satisfactorily.
Hinting at a Maoist role in the derailment and overturning of 12 coaches of Delh-Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express near Goldenganj station in Saran district, he said that 20 springs attached to fish plates appeared to have been removed from the track.
“Although I am not an expert of Maoists activities, but I can say that based on visible evidence on the spot that there is something unusual about this,” Rudy, the MP from Saran, said. . “The track was ripped apart by physically removing 20 springs attached to fish plates with the track,” Rudy said.
It took 50 hammers to remove one spring from the fish plates and so it could not have been possible to remove 20 springs without considerable manpower, he added.
When reminded that Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has said that it was too early to blame the Maoists for the derailment, he said that he was not saying anything to contradict the Home Minister, but was only recounting the material evidence on the spot that pointed to a Maoist role.
Rudy said that Bishanpura village where the train accident took place was a hub of the Maoist activities for years and they had blown up equipment of a construction company last year, besides snatched rifles of RPF men earlier.
The senior BJP leader said he earlier briefed Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu and the Prime Minister’s Office about the accident and apprised them on the details.
The senior BJP leader also praised district and railway authorities, besides the RSS and BJP workers for carrying out relief and rescue work and evacuation of passengers from the express.
The RSS volunteers and BJP workers reached the spot at 4:00 am and helped the district administration carry out relief and rescue work.–PTI
