Jaipur: An explosion damaged a railway track in Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar district near the India-Pakistan international border, prompting authorities to suspend train services between Anupgarh and Suratgarh as a precautionary measure.
The blast occurred near the 50 GB village point on the Anupgarh-Suratgarh railway line. Two concrete pillars supporting the railway track and several railway sleepers were damaged in the explosion.
The incident took place around 45 minutes after a train travelling from Anupgarh to Suratgarh passed through the area at approximately 9 pm. The sound of the explosion was reportedly heard up to 200 metres away. The blast also created a crater nearly two feet deep beneath the railway track.
Following the incident, teams from the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Criminal Investigation Department (CID), intelligence agencies, dog squad and railway authorities reached the spot to investigate. A Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team has also been called in to examine the evidence.
Sri Ganganagar Superintendent of Police Harishankar said that two concrete pillars supporting the railway track had been damaged in the suspected blast near 50 GB village.
“It is too early to ascertain the exact nature of the incident. An FSL team is being called to examine the evidence. There is no established link between this blast and the 7.5 kg of RDX recently recovered in the border region. An investigation is underway,” the SP said.
The timing of the explosion, shortly after a passenger train passed through the area, has raised concerns. Investigators are examining all possible angles, including the possibility of sabotage. However, there is no official confirmation so far that the explosion was an attempt to target a passenger train.
Train services on the Anupgarh-Suratgarh section were suspended until 9 am as a precautionary measure. Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel and railway officials also inspected the damaged track.
