Incident Summary:
03/16/2010: On Tuesday, in Gaya, Bihar, India, armed assailants belonging to the Revolutionary Communist Centre (RCC) torched a road construction machine near Banahi village and kidnapped an engineer who was supervising the road construction work. Bose was released after six or seven hours and after being threatened by the assailants. The construction machine was damaged in the attack. No group claimed responsibility, although it was widely believed a Maoist faction, the Revolutionary Communist Centre (RCC), was responsible. Police suspect the attacks were carried out in order to collect levy from the owner of the construction firm.
Overview
GTD ID:
201003160002
When:
2010-03-16
Country:
India
Region:
South Asia
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Bihar
City:
Near Banahi
Location Details:
The attack took place at a construction site near Banahi village in Gaya.
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Hostage Taking (Kidnapping) |
Type of Attack () |
Facility/Infrastructure Attack |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Business |
Name of Entity |
|
Specific Description |
A construction vehicle was targeted in the attack. |
Nationality of Target |
India |
Target Type: Private Citizens & Property |
Name of Entity |
|
Specific Description |
A construction worker was also targeted in the attack. |
Nationality of Target |
India |
Additional Information
Hostages |
Yes |
Number of Hostages |
1 |
US Hostages |
0 |
Hours of Kidnapping |
6 |
Outcome |
Hostage(s) released by perpetrators |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Yes |
Extent of Property Damage |
Minor (likely < $1 million) |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Incendiary |
Arson/Fire |
Weapon Details |
An unknown incendiary device was 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 |
The identity of the engineer is unclear. One available source reported the identity of the engineer as Suman Kumar Bose and a second available source reported the identity of the engineer as Sudip Ghosh, and because no majority identity was reported, the identity of the engineer was not included in the summary. It is unclear whether or not the engineer was released or whether or not he was rescued. One available source reported the victim as rescued and the other two available sources reported the victim as being released, so the majority method reported was used in order to preserve statistical accuracy in the database. |
Who
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
0 Fatalities / 0 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
0 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
0 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
National Counterterrorism Center, “One Civilian Kidnapped by Suspected Maoist Faction in Gaya, Bihar, India," Worldwide Incidents Tracking System, July 14, 2010. |
United News of India, “Naxals Torch Road Construction Machine in Gaya,” LexisNexis Academic, United News of India, March 16, 2010. |
Hindustan Times, "Maoists Kidnap Bihar Engineer, Release Him after Few Hours," LexisNexis Academic, Hindustan Times, March 17, 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