Derailed train: 24 hours on, no clue to train blast perpetrators

Railways constitute joint team to probe attack on Night Coach Express.

KARACHI:

A day after the attack on a Lahore-bound passenger train, police investigators have failed to trace the perpetrators of Tuesday’s explosion on the railway track. However, they suspect that a nationalist group could be behind the bombing.

According to officials, a six-year-old girl was killed and at least 27 others were injured on Tuesday evening following a blast that derailed ten wagons of the Night Coach Express near Dhabeji area.

Investigators revealed that the main track was destroyed using a remote control device as the train approached the spot where the bomb was planted.



According to Sindh Police Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) experts four kilogrammes of explosive material was used to blow the track. “The bomb was planted on the track and operated with a remote control from a 50 metre range,” he said, adding that they have dispatched samples of the explosive material used to the forensic laboratory for examination.

The blast affected train services for several hours, leaving passengers stranded at the Karachi Cantonment station. However, the up-track was cleared and opened for the trains on Wednesday morning.

Meanwhile, a four-member investigation committee was constituted by railway authorities to probe the attack. The committee includes railway chief operating superintendent, chief mechanical engineer, chief engineer operations and deputy inspector general of railway police.



“We have decided to constitute a joint team of the Railway Police, Sindh Police and Pakistan Railways officials for patrolling the tracks in Karachi division,” said SSP Robin Yamin of the Railway Police.

Commenting on the investigation, SSP East Rao Anwar said that Sindhi separatist group-Sindhu Desh Liberation Army-could be behind the attack. “They have attacked tracks throughout Sindh in the past,” adding that samples collected from the spot have been sent to the forensic department for examination.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 6^th, 2014.