PWG hits again, Naidu takes a bumpy ride

In today’s attack, police said at least 10 ultras, accompanied by 20 sympathisers, entered the Tummala Cheruvu railway station between Piduguralla and Nadikudi, 80 km from Guntur town, around midnight. They asked the assistant station master, passengers and the families of railway employees to leave.

Around 1.15 am, the explosives were detonated. The station building collapsed and railway communication system was disrupted. The loss is estimated at Rs 35 lakh.

As the news spread, the authorities diverted nine trains from Secunderabad and Guntur via Vijayawada. The railway track suffered little damage and traffic was restored by 9 am. The communication network was put in place by directly connecting Piduguralla with Nadikudi.

Yesterday, a nine-seater Rs 20-crore helicopter carrying Naidu and six other VIPs had suddenly developed a snag in the Naxalite stronghold of Eturunagaram. Naidu had gone there to comfort the victims of Monday’s landmine blast that killed 14 people.

As another chopper being used for reconnaissance also failed to take off, the CM and others had to use a third helicopter to reach Warangal. From there, they returned to the state capital by road in a bullet-proof vehicle. A good 150 km. It was the same stretch on which People’s War Group militants had killed Panchayati Raj Minister A. Madhava Reddy and a few police officials in the past. Naidu tops the PWG hitlist.

The special flooring developed by Midhani would prevent the vehicle from being torn into shreds, he said, adding that the injuries to passengers would be limited to such as are caused when a vehicle is thrown up in the air.

DGP P. Ramulu said it was not a bad idea to procure such vehicles provided these can withstand explosions caused by 15 kg RDX or explosives of equivalent impact: ‘‘We will also have to look into corresponding modifications.” The DGP refused to comment on the failure of choppers.