Incident Summary:
03/23/2010: On Tuesday night, in Mahapur village, Gaya District, Bihar, India, around 200 armed cadres of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-M) attacked a government toll plaza. A private security guard, identified as Wakil Singh, was shot and killed and 16 to 25 weapons including rifles, carbines and ammunition were looted. Maoists fired indiscriminately and hurled bombs at the toll gate. A truck driver, identified as Krishna Kant was also shot and killed in the encounter and an unspecified number of security personnel were also injured. An encounter between police and the assailants followed the attack and lasted over 20 minutes. The ultras used dynamite to blow up the office of the toll plaza before leaving the spot besides taking away five computers, damaging 12 computers and destroying papers. The Maoists also took off with around Rs three lakh (6479.73 USD) in cash from the toll plaza. Police claimed that during the encounter some of the Maoists were killed but while fleeing from the spot they took away the dead bodies. The Police claim has not been confirmed. No group claimed responsibility, although it was widely believed a Maoist faction was responsible.
Overview
GTD ID:
201003230024
When:
2010-03-23
Country:
India
Region:
South Asia
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Bihar
City:
Mahapur
Location Details:
The attack took place at a government toll plaza in Mahapur, Gaya District, Bihar.
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Armed Assault |
Type of Attack () |
Bombing/Explosion |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Government (General) |
Name of Entity |
Indian Government |
Specific Description |
The target was a government toll plaza. |
Nationality of Target |
India |
Additional Information
Hostages |
No |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Yes |
Extent of Property Damage |
Minor (likely < $1 million) |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Explosives |
Dynamite/TNT |
Explosives |
Other Explosive Type |
Firearms |
Unknown Gun Type |
Weapon Details |
Unknown explosives, dynamite and unknown firearms were used in the attack. |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
IED maybe was selected for the IED variables to reflect the unidentifed bombs that were hurled during the beginning of the attack; however, dynamite was used to blow up the toll plaza at the close of the attack. |
Who
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
200 |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
2 Fatalities |
Total Number of Fatalities |
2 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
Unknown |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
South Asia Terrorism Portal, “Maoists Kill Private Security Guard in Bihar,” http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/detailed_news3.asp?date3=2010%2F3%2F24&image2.x=0&image2.y=0#5 (March 24, 2010). |
Hindustan Times, "Maoists Kill a Private Security Guard, Loot Arms in Bihar," LexisNexis Academic, Hindustan Times, March 24, 2010. |
Daily Pak Banker, “India: Maoists Kill Six, Victims Include Three Security Men,” LexisNexis Academic, Daily Pak Banker, March 25, 2010. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties