Railway police search trains in Punjab, Haryana

Phagwara, Aug 13: The Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the General Railway Police (GRP) of Punjab and Haryana have intensified security at railway stations and trains to thwart possible strikes by terrorists in the run-up to Independence Day and Janamashtami.

In a major operation, the RPF and GRP searched a number of trains running on all the main sections in Punjab and Haryana yesterday and this morning. The search parties paid particular attention to trains coming from or terminating at Jammu.

''The searches are part of the preventive steps in view of Independence Day'', Punjab GRP IG R P Meena told UNI on being contacted today. Mr Meena himself reviewed the security arrangements at the busy Ludhiana railway station.

Mr Meena said the GRP and RPF conducted searches on the Amritsar-Jalandhar, Jalandhar-Ludhiana, Jalandhar-Pathankot, Amritsar-Pathankot and various others sections in Punjab. ''No objectionable material or object was found during the searches and no one arrested,'' he added.

The IG said that panic was created at the Ludhiana Railway Station when someone reported an unclaimed bag lying in the ladies compartment of the Amritsar-bound Chhattisgarh Express. Poppy husk was recovered from the bag, but no one was arrested, he added.

Mr Meena said security had been stepped-up at all railway stations and along rail tracks in the Ferozpur railway division, particularly at Pathankot.

In Haryana, the RPF and GRP jointly conducted search of the Malwa Express, bound for Jammu on the outskirts of Ambala Cantonment yesterday. About 100 security personnel were involved in this search operation. Dog squads were also pressed into service to sniff for explosive material.

UNI