Mamata shielding Maoists, says Biman Bose

KOLKATA - West Bengal’s ruling Left Front chairman Biman Bose Friday accused Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee of trying to shield Left-wing rebels and said she should take moral responsibility for the Gyaneshwari Express derailment tragedy which left 76 dead Friday.

“The railway minister is trying to shield the Maoists. She is saying that it is a pre-planned incident. One of the ministers of state from her party (Sisir Adhikari, union minister of state for rural development) is saying this incident is an attempt to divert people’s attention from the May 30 civic elections. These kind of statements should be stopped,” Bose said while addressing a media meet here.

At least 76 people were killed and over 200 injured early Friday when a Mumbai-bound passenger train derailed in Jhargram in West Midnapore, after a part of the track was sabotaged, and the derailed passenger train was rammed by a goods train in the Maoist bastion.