Blast on railway track near Jacobabad kills 8 including 4 children

Three bogeys of Khushal Khan Khattak Express were derailed in the blast, at least 30 people were injured.

JACOBABAD: A remote-controlled bomb blast on a railway track near Jacobabad killed eight people including four children of the same family and injured at least 30 others, Express New reported on Sunday.

Three bogeys of Khushal Khan Khattak Express were derailed as a result of the blast.

The incident took place near Thul station and the train was going to Peshawar from Karachi.

According to an eyewitness, around 200 people were injured.

The injured were taken to nearby hospitals for medical assistance. Three of the injured were reported to be in critical condition. Thul Civil Hospital, where most of the injured were taken for treatment, is 15 km from the site of the attack. Emergency was declared at the hospital.

Another bomb was found only 10 feet away from the blast site but Bomb Disposal Squad has not reached the site as yet.

Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique ordered an investigation into the explosion. He also asked General Manager railways Anjum Pervez to speed up the recovery work.

Rafique further asked the inspector general for a report on the blast. He also announced Rs0.5 million compensation money for the families of the deceased.

Pervez informed Express News that information centers were set up in Jacobabad, Sukkur and Lahore.

A relief train from Rohri was sent to the site of the explosion.