In a blow to the Maoists, one of their top leaders was killed along with five other Naxals after a night-long encounter with security forces at Motera jungle in the district which also left a CRPF commando dead.

At least 81 passengers of the Mumbai-bound Howrah-Kurla Lokmanya Tilak Gyaneswari Super Deluxe Express died after 13 coaches of the train got derailed and were hit by a goods train coming from the opposite direction in the early hours of Friday morning. Another 145 persons were injured in the accident, which took place near Kalaikunda station in West Midnapore district, close to Kharagpur, one of the most Maoist-infested areas of West Bengal.

Little knew Sukumar Banerjee what fate had scripted for him when he got a berth away from the rest of his family members in the Gyaneswari Express on his way to Rourkela. It meant life for him and death for the rest.

Maoists were gathering nearby. There was an apprehension. And it took shape. The district police officials sat duck on the intel report poured in from the state intelligence department on Thursday evening.