Assam: IED blast on railway track in Kokrajhar; train services restored

CORRESPONDENT

KOKRAJHAR: An IED (improvised explosive device) exploded on the railway track between Kokrajhar and Salakati Railway Station in the Kokrajhar district at 12.10 am in the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday.

According to sources, the EID was planted at the middle portion of the railway track near Singimari railway gate by unknown miscreants. The blast damaged the railway track. However, no casualty was reported from the incident. A goods train had passed through that section of the track just 10 minutes before the incident took place.

DGP Harmeet Singh reviewed the situation following the blast. He held a meeting with senior police officials and law-enforcement officers at the 7th Assam Police Battalion headquarters in Charaikhola to discuss the progress of the investigation.

Later, speaking to the media, the DGP said that technical and human links related to the explosion have been found. He also said that a forensic team has already arrived at the blast site.

Earlier, senior police officials and railway officials rushed the spot immediately after the incident. The railway officials and staff were engaged to repair the damaged track and repairs to the three-foot broken stretch of track were completed by the morning. Normal train services resumed in the morning today.

Local people in the area suspect that unidentified miscreants might have planted the bomb on the track.

This is the first such blast in the BTR after the signing of the BTR Peace Accord 2020 on January 27, 2020.

The Bodoland People's Front (BPF) demanded strong action against those responsible for the IED explosion in Kokrajhar. BTC Executive Member and president of Kokrajhar District BPF, Derhasat Basumatary, strongly condemned the blast, which occurred just five kilometres away from Kokrajhar railway station. He stated that the police administration and the Assam government must identify the culprits and the group involved in the incident and ensure strict punishment for them.

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