C'garh Assembly: Oppn members walk out over train hijack case

Dissatisfied with the government's reply on the hijacking of a train by criminals at gun point to set an undertrial prisoner free in Durg district, Opposition Congress legislators today walked out of the Chhattisgarh Assembly.
Raising the issue in the House through a call attention motion, Leader of Opposition Ravindra Choubey said the armed criminals "hijacked" the Gondia-Durg Jan Shatabdi Express near Kumhari railway station of the district on February 6 to free undertrial Upendra Singh, accused in a kidnapping case.
The incident took place when Singh was returning to Bilaspur in the train while being escorted by two constables and a head constable, after attending a court hearing at Durg.

Choubey sought to know from the state government why Singh, who was accused in several cases in Durg district, was transferred to Bilaspur Jail. He also asked to reveal the identity of persons who met with the undertrial in prison.
He questioned as to why the police personnel, who were escorting the prisoner, were not carrying weapons and the response of police after the incident.
In reply, Parliamentary Secretary Vijay Baghel said the criminals attacked the police escorts with chilly powder.

They then pulled the chain to stop the train after freeing the accused and managed to escape with the prisoner near Kevaldham, located on the border of Durg and Raipur.

They jumped from the train, looted a car and fled.
Police acted swiftly after the incident and so far six people have been arrested in this connection, he added.
However, he said the transfer of an undertrial from one jail to another was an internal issue and rest of the details in the case were confidential.
He further informed that head constable Virendra Singh and constables Asharam Kurre and Suchit Sharma, who were escorting the undertrial at the time, have been suspended for dereliction of duty.
Countering the minister, Choubey said the ruling party member should clarify on the information which was mentioned confidential by him.

Choubey also alleged that the criminals had pre-planned to hijack the train to release Singh and the police department was totally unaware of the plot.
Later, Baghel said efforts were on to trace the criminal.
Dissatisfied with the government's reply, Opposition members staged the walkout.