[3] It was disputed as to whether sabotage or a bomb caused damage on the railway track, which in turn led to the derailment, before an oncoming goods train hit the loose carriages, resulting in the deaths of at least 148 passengers.
[1] A few weeks before the incident, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had stated that Naxal attacks were affecting the profitability of the railways.
Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee said a bomb blast was part of a "calculated attack" that caused the train to derail.
Indian Air Force helicopters flew to the scene of the crash and airlifted some of the injured passengers to hospitals.
[11] During the course of the investigation into the derailment, Samir Mahato, a member of the Sidhu Kanhu Gana Militia — the militant wing of the People's Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA) — was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police from Jhargram in West Midnapore district.
[7] Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee condemned the attack,[17] although he was seen as unusually cautious in blaming Maoists for triggering the derailment.
"[18] Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee rushed to the location of the accident where she said she was aware of the Maoist-declared black days and security had been increased.
"[4] A day after the attack Bhattacharya and Banerjee got into a war of words that was linked to the upcoming municipal elections in the province.
Derek O'Brien, TMC spokesperson.Banerjee later called the incident a political conspiracy, while hinting at the involvement of elements of the ruling CPI(M) party.
[23] A spokesperson for the CPI(M), Comrade Akaash, contacted the BBC and said the Naxals would investigate whether renegade factions may have been behind the attack.