Chennai blasts: One of two detained, released
The railway police had detained a man who was found hiding in the train with explosives. But he was later released as he was found "innocent" by the cops.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Thursday ordered Crime Branch-Crime Investigation Department (CB-CID) probe into the incident.
Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde has offered all forms of assistance to the state government.
"I am in Himachal Pradesh at the moment. But I have directed my officials to provide all sorts of assistance to the state government," Shinde told media over phone.
A woman was killed and at least 10 others were injured in two minor blasts in an express train at the Chennai Central Railway Station on Thursday morning.
According to reports, the blasts occurred around 7.30 am in the sleeper coaches S4 and S5 of the Bangalore-Guwahati Express as it entered platform number 9 of the station. Both coaches were damaged in the blasts.
"There were two separate low intensity blasts inside the train. The police are investigating the matter," said Southern Railways General Manager Rakesh Mishra.
The deceased woman has reportedly been identified as Swati, 22, a resident of Guntur in Andhra Pradesh. She was traveling with her relatives. One of the blasts occurred under her seat in the train killing her on the spot.
The Railways announced a compensation of Rs 1 lakh to the family of the woman killed in the blasts.
Two of the 10 injured are critical. All injured were admitted to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) said it is not ruling out the terror angle into the incident.
Police and bomb disposal squads, along with sniffer dogs, rushed to the blast site immediately after the explosions. The entire station area has been cordoned off and train services have been temporarily suspended.
The train had left Guwahati in Assam for Bangalore in Karnataka on Tuesday. It was reportedly running about two hours late.
Chennai helpline number: 044-25357398.
Bangalore helpline numbers: 08022356409, 08022156553
Railway control number: 08022876288
Image: Wikimedia Commons
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