Bomb Blast in Rajdhani Express
Five killed, nine injured:
Guwahati, Dec 13: Suspected Adivasi insurgents exploded a powerful bomb in the Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express, killing five passengers and injuring nine in Assam's Golaghat district on Thursday.
The blast took place in a compartment attached to the luggage van of the Dibrugarh-Guwahati-Delhi Rajdhani Express, two km ahead of Sungajan (Chungajan) railway station at 1.06 am, North-East Frontier Railway CPRO Trikal Rabha said.
Five passengers died on the spot and the four critically injured were admitted to a hospital at Dimapur in neighbouring Nagaland. The five others who received minor injuries were discharged after first aid.
The dead were identified as S P Prasad (24), A K Jha (30), Laxman Rai (20), Sudama Rai (45), Dineshwar Prasad (19). The critically injured are Amarnath Singh, Tapas Rai, Laxman Jha and Pradip Choudhury.
The 30 other passengers in the compartment were accommodated in the three-tier AC compartment of the train that continued with its onward journey to Delhi via Guwahati at 6 am, Rabha said.
Dilip Beg, a leader of the Adivasi National Liberation Army (ANLA), said the group was behind the attack.
"Our fighters triggered the blast through remote control to force the government to grant special rights to our community," Beg told reporters by telephone.
The explosion also damaged the luggage van just behind the engine and two sleepers of the track, he said.
Another Story:
Related Story:
The 2423A dn is the link train of the main 2423 dn Rajdhani Express starting from Guwahati, the CPRO said.
Train movement on the section has been restored.
Security forces suspect that the explosive was planted in a suitcase inside the luggage van of the train.
The bomb was planted at its starting point at Dibrugarh station, as the train halts for only two minutes at the next destination Mariani.
The train does not stop at the next railway station Sungajan, thereby leaving no scope for the militants to alight after planting the bomb.
Bomb experts were trying to ascertain the nature of the bomb as to whether it was an improvised explosive devise or some other type of explosive, police sources said.
There was also an intelligence report of the Adivasi National Liberation Army planning to attack trains in that area.
In support of the Adivasis' demand for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe list, the ANLA had recently threatened to intensify their subversive activities, particularly targeting trains.
Helpline Numbers: 0361-1072; 09435550664
Central team to visit Assam tomorrow
A high-level Central team will visit Assam on Friday to assist in the investigation into the
explosion in Rajdhani Express in the wee hours.
Home Minister Shivraj Patil has strongly condemned the blasts in which five passengers were killed, an MHA spokesman said.
The Home Ministry is closely monitoring the situation. Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta has spoken to the state Chief Secretary to take stock of the situation.
Bomb blasts, derailment and rail roko in quick succession has affected functioning of the North-East Frontier Railway during the first fortnight of December.
On December 4, suspected Adivasi National Liberation Army militants exploded an Improvised Explosive Device on a railway track and damaged the Kamrup Express at Gharialdubi about four kilometres from Bokajan in Assam's Karbi Anglong.
The next day on December 5, ANLA activists struck again the railway tracks between Diphu and Nailalong in Karbi Anglong districts damaging the Tinsukia-Lumding Express and injuring the driver.
The train services were partially affected due to a 48-hour rail roko agitation called by the Rabha Autonomous Council of Assam from December 5. The council is demanding inclusion of the Rabha community in the Sixth Schedule.
On December 7, about 19 wagons of a goods train, laden with coal goods and going to Uttar Pradesh, derailed in lower Assam's Goalpara district disrupting train services between Krishnai and Goalpara town railway stations.
One person was killed and 55 passengers were injured when 14 bogies of Brahmaputra Mail derailed about 15 km from New Jalpaiguri junction under Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) on the night of December nine.
Source: PTI and Other Agencies
Guwahati, Dec 13: Suspected Adivasi insurgents exploded a powerful bomb in the Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express, killing five passengers and injuring nine in Assam's Golaghat district on Thursday.
The blast took place in a compartment attached to the luggage van of the Dibrugarh-Guwahati-Delhi Rajdhani Express, two km ahead of Sungajan (Chungajan) railway station at 1.06 am, North-East Frontier Railway CPRO Trikal Rabha said.
Five passengers died on the spot and the four critically injured were admitted to a hospital at Dimapur in neighbouring Nagaland. The five others who received minor injuries were discharged after first aid.
The dead were identified as S P Prasad (24), A K Jha (30), Laxman Rai (20), Sudama Rai (45), Dineshwar Prasad (19). The critically injured are Amarnath Singh, Tapas Rai, Laxman Jha and Pradip Choudhury.
The 30 other passengers in the compartment were accommodated in the three-tier AC compartment of the train that continued with its onward journey to Delhi via Guwahati at 6 am, Rabha said.
Dilip Beg, a leader of the Adivasi National Liberation Army (ANLA), said the group was behind the attack.
"Our fighters triggered the blast through remote control to force the government to grant special rights to our community," Beg told reporters by telephone.
The explosion also damaged the luggage van just behind the engine and two sleepers of the track, he said.
Another Story:
Related Story:
The 2423A dn is the link train of the main 2423 dn Rajdhani Express starting from Guwahati, the CPRO said.
Train movement on the section has been restored.
Security forces suspect that the explosive was planted in a suitcase inside the luggage van of the train.
The bomb was planted at its starting point at Dibrugarh station, as the train halts for only two minutes at the next destination Mariani.
The train does not stop at the next railway station Sungajan, thereby leaving no scope for the militants to alight after planting the bomb.
Bomb experts were trying to ascertain the nature of the bomb as to whether it was an improvised explosive devise or some other type of explosive, police sources said.
There was also an intelligence report of the Adivasi National Liberation Army planning to attack trains in that area.
In support of the Adivasis' demand for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe list, the ANLA had recently threatened to intensify their subversive activities, particularly targeting trains.
Helpline Numbers: 0361-1072; 09435550664
Central team to visit Assam tomorrow
A high-level Central team will visit Assam on Friday to assist in the investigation into the
explosion in Rajdhani Express in the wee hours.
Home Minister Shivraj Patil has strongly condemned the blasts in which five passengers were killed, an MHA spokesman said.
The Home Ministry is closely monitoring the situation. Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta has spoken to the state Chief Secretary to take stock of the situation.
Bomb blasts, derailment and rail roko in quick succession has affected functioning of the North-East Frontier Railway during the first fortnight of December.
On December 4, suspected Adivasi National Liberation Army militants exploded an Improvised Explosive Device on a railway track and damaged the Kamrup Express at Gharialdubi about four kilometres from Bokajan in Assam's Karbi Anglong.
The next day on December 5, ANLA activists struck again the railway tracks between Diphu and Nailalong in Karbi Anglong districts damaging the Tinsukia-Lumding Express and injuring the driver.
The train services were partially affected due to a 48-hour rail roko agitation called by the Rabha Autonomous Council of Assam from December 5. The council is demanding inclusion of the Rabha community in the Sixth Schedule.
On December 7, about 19 wagons of a goods train, laden with coal goods and going to Uttar Pradesh, derailed in lower Assam's Goalpara district disrupting train services between Krishnai and Goalpara town railway stations.
One person was killed and 55 passengers were injured when 14 bogies of Brahmaputra Mail derailed about 15 km from New Jalpaiguri junction under Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) on the night of December nine.
Source: PTI and Other Agencies