66 people killed, 13 injured in Samjhauta Express train blasts

Diwana, Haryana, Feb 19 (UNI) In one of the most devastating terrorist attacks on the Indian Railways system, at least 66 people were killed and 13 others injured in blasts followed by fire on board the Delhi-Attari Samjhauta Express at Shiva village in Panipat district past midnight.

Many of those killed were Pakistani nationals returning home after meeting their near and dear ones in India.

The fire was noticed in the last two bogies of the train when it reached the railway crossing near the village at about 0100 hours, Panipat police said.

Panic-stricken passengers jostled and jumped for safety following the blasts and subsequent fire in the two bogies as the train halted near the village in darkness. Most of the passengers were in sleep at the time of blasts, not knowing what had actually happened and were trapped in flames.

Official sources said most of the charred bodies recovered were beyond recognition. The bodies were brought to the Civil Hospital at Panipat where they have been kept for identification.

The injured were first taken to the civil hospital at Panipat and later shifted to Safdurjung hospital in Delhi.

Fire tenders from the district and lcoal refinery were immediately called to put out the fire in the Attari-bound train that had originated from Delhi.

Police, Railway police and bomb disposal squads immediately reached the site and launched rescue work which was still continuing.

Home Minister Shivraj Patil, who visited the site, strongly condemned the incident and said explosives appeared to have been used in the incident. He said the forces opposed to the India-Pakistan peace process were behind the tragedy.

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