Narrow escape for 1,000 train passengers in Assam

Guwahati: A train carrying around 1,000 passengers had a miraculous escape Friday with security forces detecting a powerful bomb found inside the train at the Guwahati railway station in Assam, police said.

The bomb, kept in a steel container and concealed inside a bag, was fitted with a time device inside coach S5 of the Kanchengunja Express. It was detected by security forces during a routine check just when the train from Bangalore arrived in Guwahati around 5.15 am.

"Security forces were conducting a routine search when they found an unattended small but heavy bag and on suspicion they checked and detected the bomb neatly concealed," a senior police officer said.

Passengers were immediately evacuated from the station and soon after a bomb disposal squad arrived.

"It was an improvised explosive device weighing about five kg and fitted with a timer. It was a powerful bomb and had it exploded, it would have been a disaster," he said. The bomb was disposed soon after.

Preliminary investigations revealed the bag containing the bomb could have been left inside the coach sometime during the night in the Assam sector.

"We don't know who could be behind the act, but definitely some militant group from Assam who are opposed to the peace talks might have been behind this," he added.





 

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(Photo: IANS)