A newly-raised armed wing of tribal agitators, aided by Maoists in West Midnapore district, were responsible for the seven-and-a-half half hour hijack drama of the Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express in a jungle area of West Midnapore district.

"The way the incident took place yesterday doesn't suggest that it was planned and executed entirely by Maoists. They were definitely present during the incident, but they didn't participate," a source in the joint forces engaged in anti-Maoist operations in the district said on condition of anonymity.

"The Maoists also provided covering fire when the joint forces were trying to go from Jhargram to the trouble spot, Banstala. Their intention was to resist us so that the tribal agitators could leave the spot safely," the source said.

The name of the PCPA's armed wing, according to the district police, was 'Sidhu-Kanu Gana Militia'. The militia, according to them, derived the name from Sidhu Murmu and Kanu Murmu who had led the Santhal rebellion (1857-1858) against the British and were later caught and executed.

Maoist leader Kishenji said over phone, "We will provide strategic, technical and military support to the villagers so that they can combat the joint forces in West Midnapore successfully."