64 Killed, several injured in blasts on Delhi

Diwana, Haryana, Feb 19 (UNI) In what appeared to be a major terrorist attack, at least 64 people, many of them Pakistanis, were killed and 13 injured when two coaches of Delhi-Attari Samjhauta Express caught fire here following blasts around midnight.

The bi-weekly peace train, that connects India with Pakistan, had left the Delhi Railway Station at 2240 hrs last night for Attari near Amritsar and two of its bogies caught fire immediately after the explosions, reports said.

Several charred bodies, including those of women and children, had been recovered and taken to the Civil Hospital at Panipat.

Some of the injured have also been admitted there.

This is perhaps the first time that Indian and Pakistani civilians have together been the victims of a terrorist attack.

Home Minister Shivraj Patil, who visited the site of the incident this morning, said explosives appeared to have been used to cause the blasts.

'' The blasts have been triggered by those opposed to our efforts to improve ties with some countries,'' he said, without directly referring to Pakistan.

President A P J Abdul Kalam expressed concern and grief over the loss of lives in the blasts.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressing anguish and grief said the culprits will soon be brought to book, he said in a statement.

Charred bodies of the victims, including women and children, were recovered and many of them brought to the Civil Hospital at Panipat, where the injured were admitted.

The incident came a day before Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri was scheduled to visit India as part of the ongoing peace process between the two countries.

Pakistan condemned the blasts and said the incident would have no bearing on the planned visit to India by the Foreign Minister.

''Why should it be changed?'' said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tasneem Aslam. She said initial reports suggested most of the victims on the train were Pakistanis.

''We condemn this act of terrorism in which many precious lives have been lost,'' she said.

''It is the responsibility of the Indian authorities to provide security to the train inside Indian territory. We expect Indian authorities to punish the perpetrators,'' she added.

The train service links Delhi with Lahore, although passengers have to get down at the border and cross on foot before boarding another train for their destination.

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