Incident Summary:
05/15/2011: On Sunday morning around 0630, near Chhurchuriya village in Jamui, Bihar, India, suspected Communist Party of India-Maoists (CPI-M) detonated a landmine targeting a tractor carrying nine people including polling personnel, killing driver Arun Mandal and seriously injuring election official Surya Narayan Yadav. Seven polling officers were also taken by the militants. The polling officers were on their way to the Chhurchuriya polling booth numbers 31 and 44 when the landmine was triggered, causing an unknown amount of property damage. The Maoists claimed responsibility for the attack. According to police, the Maoists have also demanded the release of two of their cadres in exchange for the release of the officials. All seven officials were released on 05/17/2011.
Overview
GTD ID:
201105150008
When:
2011-05-15
Country:
India
Region:
South Asia
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Bihar
City:
Chhurchuriya
Location Details:
The attack took place near Chhurchuriya village in Jamui.
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Bombing/Explosion |
Type of Attack () |
Hostage Taking (Kidnapping) |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Government (General) |
Name of Entity |
Indian Government |
Specific Description |
A tractor carrying polling personnel was targeted in the attack. |
Nationality of Target |
India |
Additional Information
Hostages |
Yes |
Number of Hostages |
7 |
US Hostages |
0 |
Days of Kidnapping |
2 |
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 |
Explosives |
Land Mine |
Unknown |
|
Weapon Details |
A landmine and other unknown weapons 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 |
Who
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
1 Fatalities / 1 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
1 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
1 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
Press Trust of India, “Maoists Kidnap Seven Poll Officials, Kill One in Blast: Police," LexisNexis Academic, Press Trust of India, May 15, 2011. |
Indian Express, “One Killed, Seven Officers Kidnapped in Bihar,” LexisNexis Academic, Indian Express, May 16, 2011. |
Indo-Asian News Service, "Maoists Release Bihar Poll Officials (Lead),” LexisNexis Academic, Hindustan Times, May 17, 2011. |
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