JOIN USSlain cop was set to leave for daughter's wedding
Authorities are yet to make a breakthrough in the Saturday’s Maoist attack case that claimed three lives but the tragic story of an ill-fated policeman trickled in on Sunday.
The Maoists on Saturday evening attacked Sahebganj-Danapur Intercity Express and gunned down three policemen and looted five sophisticated weapons.
Ashok Kumar, a havildar posted with the Bihar Military Police (BMP), was among the three killed policemen.
Originally, Ashok was not supposed to lead the escort party in the train which crosses through the dense forest area between Ratanpur and Jamalpur railway stations.
However, the policeman who was supposed to lead the escort party, suddenly fell ill.
Ashok, in his late 50s, was eventually asked to substitute for him, as a havildar-rank official has to escort a passenger train.
Only a few days ago, Ashok had applied for leave for his daughter’s wedding, which was slated for next month. But when he, along with two constables —Bhola Thakur and Uday Sahi — got on the train, little did he know that this was his last journey.
Nearly 200 km before reaching Patna, the train was stopped by armed marauders who rained bullets from outside.
While Ashok, Bhola and Uday died in the indiscriminate firing, the two injured jawans – Imtiaz and Vinay— were rushed to Jamalpur railway hospital where they are recuperating.
“The Maoists overpowered the cops and looted five sophisticated weapons—an AK-47, an Insas rifle, an SLR (self-loading rifle), a carbine and a .303 rifle from the policemen before escaping under the cover of darkness,” Deputy Inspector General (Railways) K S Anupam told Deccan Herald on Sunday.
“We have launched a massive manhunt to trace the culprits and hope of an early breakthrough,” she added.