M A I N   N E W S

Guwahati-puri Express derailed near rangia
Bodos suspected behind train blast
Bijay Sankar Bora
Tribune News Service

Guwahati, July 11
The police suspects that the outlawed National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), anti-talks faction led by Ranjan Daimary, is behind Sunday night’s bomb blast on the track that derailed four coaches and capsized another four of the Guwahati-Puri Express, leaving 77 passengers injured.

A police official said the area where the blast took place was known for the presence of NDFB (anti-talks) militants.

Though there is a practice of track scanning by the Assam police as the area is close to the boundaries of the two districts, Kamrup and Nalbari, there is a possibility of overlooking of that portion of the railway track by the police patrol team of either district.

Meanwhile, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has ordered an inquiry into the mishap.Commissioner of the Railway Safety, NFR circle, Balbir Singh, who works under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, will conduct a statutory inquiry into the derailment of the 15640 Down Guwahati-Puri Express.

The inquiry will be held at divisional railway manager’s office at Rangiya on July 13 and 14, NFR spokesman Jayanta Kumar Sharma said.

The blast completely damaged a 200-m stretch of the railway track, from where the police recovered fuse wire and detonators. Workers have been trying to restore the track and it is expected to be repaired early tonight.

According to AK Manocha, Divisional Railway Manager, Rangiya division, the loss caused by the blast is estimated to be between Rs 75 and Rs 80 lakh.

The remaining 800 passengers of the ill-fated train were taken to the destination by a special train this morning.

The Railways has announced Rs 1 lakh as compensation for each of the three seriously injured passengers while passengers who suffered minor injuries will be provided Rs 10,000 each, the NFR spokesman said.

Meanwhile, train services on the section have been affected with several trains being diverted or cancelled.