Two suspects identified; One arrested: Lalu

New Delhi, Feb 19: Two youth, who are suspected to have planted the explosives on Pakistan-bound Samjhauta Express, have been identified and one has been arrested, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad announced.

He also announced that the Samjhauta Express will now start from Safdarjung railway station instead of the Old Delhi Railway station.

''Two suspects, who were travelling without reservation on board the train, have been identified and one has been arrested.

He is being interrogated,'' Mr Prasad told reporters after visiting the injured at Safdarjung Hospital here.

However, Mr Prasad did not divulge the names of the suspects and said the investigations were still being carried out.

He said one of the survivors had identified the suspects.

The Railway Minister said his ministry will earmark ''new stations'' for the Samjhauta Express because of ''security constraints''.

''The train starts from the Old Delhi Railway Station which is very crowded. From security considerations, Safdarjung Station has been zeroed in on,'' he added.

Earlier in the day, Mr Prasad announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh each for the next of the kin of the deceased and Rs five lakh each for those seriously injured in the ''dastardly terror attack''on the Samjhauta Express.

Mr Prasad said 65 people had been killed in the blasts and 13 injured. However, officials have put the toll at 66.

The bodies would not be disposed of till they are identified, the minister added. ''We will try to identify the dead through their passports. The bodies are being kept in the morgue for identification.'' The minister said of the 65 dead, two were RPF personnel who were escorting the train. ''RPF personnel have been escorting Samjhauta Express because the governments of Punjab and Haryana are still undecided as to which state will provide security to this train.'' He said bilateral ties between India and Pakistan will not be affected and the peace process will continue.

''We will not allow the peace process to be derailed. It will continue,'' he added.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri is scheduled to visit New Delhi tomorrow for talks with his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee.

CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechuri also visited the injured at the hospital.

UNI