People at an enquiry booth at Dhanbad railway station. Picture by Gautam Dey

Dhanbad, June 13: The daylight Naxalite attack on Dhanbad-Patna Intercity Express (13331) on Thursday afternoon in Bihar, which killed three persons and injured several, spurred a shocked Dhanbad railway division to launch three helpline numbers for the families of 74 people who boarded the train from the coal town.

In all, 10 passengers in AC-2, 53 in AC-3, as well as eight and three in sleeper coaches 3 and 6, respectively, booked their reservation from Dhanbad on the down train that left the station at 8.30am on Thursday.

Though no one among the 74 was injured in the Naxalite ambush, where mostly women cadres opened fire, helpline numbers 0326-2220016, 0326-2220017 and 0326-2220018 have been dedicated for families and friends asking for details.

An employee of Dhanbad railway division, however, is among the injured.

“The guard of the train, K.P. Singh, an employee of Dhanbad railway division, received injuries, though not serious. He has been sent to his native place in Jamui, Bihar,” Dayanand, senior divisional commercial manager, East Central Railway (Dhanbad division), said.

Dayanand added they were in constant touch with railway authorities at Danapur, the station nearest to the site of attack. “The location of the incident falls under the Danapur division control area,” Dayanand said.

All senior officials of Dhanbad division, East Central Railway, were huddled in the station control room since 2pm to monitor the situation.

Railway employees were looked shocked and stunned. At the roster room at Dhanbad station, railway guard Asif Ali, a colleague of the injured KP Singh, said: “We are most concerned about him. This is the most dastardly attack of Naxalites. They are now targeting trains in broad daylight.”

Ali, also Dhanbad divisional secretary of Railway Guards’ Association, Guard Council, added they would meet DRM Sudhir Kumar on Friday to raise questions of their safety on duty. “When we first heard about the rebel firing and the driver being held hostage by rebels, we were very scared of the consequences. Imagine if the driver was killed. An unmanned train running on tracks would have led to hundreds of casualties,” said another Dhanbad railway station employee.

Another employee asked a valid question. “How can two railway jawans armed with carbines take on hundreds of Naxalites? The government must take stringent steps to curb insurgency. Else, people will fear travelling in trains and a day might come when they will avoid going out of homes,” he said.