Thaindian News

Kolkata, July 7 (IANS) A pro-Maoist activist was Wednesday arrested in Orissa in connection with the May 28 Gyaneshwari Express tragedy in which 148 people were killed, police said.
Manik Mahato, one of the prime accused, was arrested from Mayurbanjh in Orissa by the state police and later handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He will be brought to West Bengal later, CBI sources said.

“Manik Mahato was responsible in engaging contractual gangmen to unclip the pandroll clips, which fixed the tracks,” a CBI officer said.

Police sources said Manik was a resident of Muraboni village in West Bengal’s West Midnapore district, where the Gyaneshwari tragedy took place.

“Acting on tip-off that Manik was taking shelter in his relative’s house in Mayurbanjh to evade arrest, a raid was conducted and he was arrested,” said Superintendent of Police (Jhargram) Praveen Tripathy.

A CBI officer investigating the case said that Manik would be brought to West Midnapore and will be produced before the Additional Judicial Magistrate’s Court in Jhargram Thursday.

The Mumbai-bound Gyaneshwari Express ran off the rails May 28 near Jhargram in West Midnapore after a portion of the tracks was sabotaged allegedly by Maoists. A speeding freight train then rammed into five derailed coaches of the Gyaneshwari, leading to the death of 148 people.

According to CBI sources, Manik was one of the prime accused of the Gyaneshwari case.

“He masterminded the sabotage to take revenge against the alleged high-handness of the joint forces personnel in his village. He chalked out the plan with Bapi Mahato and Umakanto Mahato, prominent leaders of the tribal body Peoples’ Committee Against Police Atrocities’ (PCAPA) militant wing in Manikpara area,” a CBI officer said.

Umakanto Mahato and Asit Mahato, two prime accused of the case, are still evading arrest. The CBI has already declared a reward of Rs.1 lakh for providing information leading to their arrest.