Lalu does not respond to issue of missing ammunition wagons

New Delhi, Nov 30 (UNI) Notwithstanding Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee's expectation of an "adequate response" by the government, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad today remained unmoved in the House when BJD members raised the issue of two ammunition-packed rail wagons missing for over two and a half months.

Expressing alarm over the missing ammunition from an ordnance train from Jodhpur during Zero Hour, Brajo Kishore Tripathi said it was a serious matter but neither the Defence nor the Railway ministries were perturbed over it.

His party colleague Bhartruhari Mahtab disclosed that a fax message of the Army on November 17 confirmed receipt of 22 wagons of ammunition as against 24 sent wagons.

Prasanna Acharya wanted to know the fate of the missing ammunition, stating that the train had passed through Naxal-infested area. He wondered whether the ammunition, including explosives, had passed into their hands or the hands of smugglers and anti-national elements.

The Speaker twice intervened during their mention, saying he expected an adequate response from the government. However, Mr Prasad chose not to respond.

UNI