Militants attacked a crowded passenger train Sunday afternoon in central Indian state Jharkhand, said the local police.

 

A group of militants hijacked the passenger train with about 1, 000 people on board when the train, from Jamshedpur in Singhboohm district of Jharkhand, was traveling in the dense forest near the border with neighboring state West Bengal, Shailendra Warnwal, deputy superintendent of Police of Singhboohm, told Xinhua.

 

The militants looted four rifles from the policemen on the train and left and all passengers were safe, he said.

 

Eyewitnesses said the militants stayed on the train for more than half an hour.

 

This is the third incident of train hijacking in the last few months in the region.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 11, 2006)