Not sure Maoists are behind train attack: Mamata

A day after Home Minister P Chidambaram said Maoists could be behind the attack on Jnaneswari Express, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said she was not sure about the involvement of the Left-wing extremists.

"I do not know whether it is Maoists who were behind the attack. But whoever is behind the attack should be punished," Banerjee told reporters.

She said she does not want to comment further on the issue before the investigation is over.

"I am not a politiacl astrologer. I cannot say anything before investigation," she said. Chidambaram yesterday said the needle of suspicion pointed to Maoists or their frontal organisations.

The Railways has asked for a CBI probe into the incident which claimed 149 lives. However the state government has not favoured such an idea.

"The matter of CBI probe is under the consideration of Ministry of Home Affairs," Banerjee said.

The priority before the government is to ensure passengers' safety and security, she said.

Banerjee termed the incident as a brutal murder of innocent people and said the government will do everything to punish the culprits.

On May 28, 13 coaches of the Maharashtra-bound express were derailed and was later hit by a goods train coming from the opposite direction.

Asked about the police firing incident in West Bengal during yesterday's civic body polls in which one person was killed, the Trinamool Congress chief said her party activists should not be blamed for it and held Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya responsible.

"It is the chief minister's constituency. The CM allowed the goons to rig the elections. It is their internal fight. They did not allow the Trinamool workers and candidates to be there. TC does not know anything," she said.