HT This Day: February 20, 2007 -- Peace train attacked: 66 dead, talks on, security revamped
The Indian and Pakistani governments called the blasts an act of terror aimed at derailing the peace process between the two countries. No group has claimed responsibility
Deewana (Haryana)/New Delhi: Two explosions on the Delhi-Attari Express that caused a fire killed at least 66 passengers late on Sunday night, pushing the government to announce a new security drill for the vital train link to Pakistan.
The Indian and Pakistani governments called the blasts an act of terror aimed at derailing the peace process between the two countries. No group has claimed responsibility.
Railways Minister Lalu Prasad said security on the train would be stepped up and its departure point would be shifted to another location from the crowded Old Delhi Station, where it was difficult to ensure watertight security.
Security measures similar to those at airports will be introduced for the train. Heavier security escort will monitor the passengers on the train and baggage identification will be carried out as at airports.
The heavy security measures follow findings of preliminary investigations by the police that the bombs on the were possibly planted at the Old Delhi Station.
One person was detained in connection with the blasts, Lalu was quoted by news agency PTI as saying.
The blasts occurred at 11.52 p.m. near the Deewana Railway Station in Haryana, around 80 km from Delhi, said railway personnel who first spotted the fire on the running train at a level-crossing near Deewana. Later, two unexploded suitcase bombs were found on the train.
The bi-weekly train between India and Pakistan is called the “link train” of the Samjhauta Express to Lahore. The passengers board the Samjhauta Express at the border station of Attari in Punjab.
According to a PMO statement, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assured Pakistan that India was committed to ensuring that the perpetrators of the “heinous” terrorist act were punished. Singh received a call from Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said the blasts would not derail peace efforts.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri his trip to Delhi to engage in talks with Indian officials to push forward the peace process would go as planned. Kasuri will arrive in Delhi on Tuesday.
India’s foreign ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said the government’s priority at the moment was to help the victims. He declined to comment on Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam’s statement that security on the train was India’s responsibility.
Most of the victims were believed to be Pakistanis. The bodies of the victims were completely charred, said Railway Protection Force personnel.
“In one coach, the charred bodies were stacked in one corner,” said Jai Narain, a RPF assistant sub-inspector.
Pawan Kumar who was manning the level-crossing where the burning train was first sighted told HT: “It was travelling very fast. Just as it was crossing, I heard two explosions.”
Forensic experts were yet to establish the composition of the explosives. Home Minister Shivraj Patil said it was a “new type” of explosive material.
More than 13 of the 50 people injured were shifted to Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital. The police were searching for leads from the survivors. A survivor told the police that he saw a man in his early twenties jumping off the running train 20 minutes before the explosions. Shaukat Ali described the man as one with “shallow complexion and slanting eyes”.
“Ali told us that another passenger asked him where he was going. He appeared tense and said that he was going to Ahmedabad. He was told that he had got into the wrong train,” said a senior officer. “This man jumped off the moving train 40-45 minutes later.”
The train was carrying 604 passengers. Reports said 527 of the survivors crossed over to Pakistan on Monday evening.
(Inputs from Nilova Roy Chaudhury, Aloke Tikku and Sobhana K from New Delhi)