Only bona fide Samjhauta Express passengers to enter platform

New Delhi, Feb 21 (UNI) Rattled by the devastating terror attack on the 'Friendship Train', the Railways today announced stringent security measures for Samjhauta Express, including entry of only bona fide passengers at Old Delhi station, increased RPF personnel onboard the train and installing additional CCTVs to monitor passenger movement.

''We are not going to take any chance for future trips of the Samjhauta Express,'' a top official of Northern Railway told UNI.

He said nobody, not even the relatives of the passengers, would be allowed entry inside the station.

From now onwards, the entire train train will be fully reserved and no unreserved passenger will be allowed to board it.

Among the other security measures put in place for the train that links India and Pakistan are deployment of additional Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel, dog squads and a thorough screening of the luggage carried by the passengers.

''We have advised passengers to travel light because it is only an overnight journey. We have also asked them to arrive at the station well before the departure of the train for a proper verification of their travel documents and luggage,'' he said.

The official said the entire station as well as the train would be sanitised and lot of checks would be carried out. Even police officials posted at the station and the RPF personnel escorting the train would have to undergo stringent security checks.

To facilitate the frisking of the passengers, extra security personnel are being deployed.

As many as 68 people died and several others were injured after blasts occurred on the Samjhauta Express going from Delhi to Lahore late Sun day night, at Deewana in Panipat.

UNI