Kokrajhar, Oct 23: Railway services across lower Assam and parts of north Bengal were disrupted on Thursday after a suspected improvised explosive device (IED) went off on the tracks in Kokrajhar district, officials said.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said police have identified one suspect for his alleged involvement.
The explosion took place at 1 am, around 5 km away from the Kokrajhar railway station towards Salakati in Alipurduar division of the Northeast Frontier Railway, an official said.
“The blast ripped apart nearly three feet of railway line with fragments of the damaged track found strewn several metres away,” he said.
Kokrajhar’s Senior Superintendent of Police Pushpraj Singh said there were no reports of any casualties or derailment in the incident.
“The damage was limited to a short portion of the track, which was promptly repaired. Train movement has resumed now,” he said.
Railway services were suspended overnight, affecting several Up and Down trains in Lower Assam and northern West Bengal till around 8 am, another official said.
Railway and security personnel conducted thorough inspections of the affected section before restoring full services, he said.
Authorities have intensified security along the route and launched an investigation to identify and apprehend those involved, he added.
NFR’s Chief Public Relations Officer Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said, “When a goods train was passing between Salakati and Kokrajhar, the train manager reported a heavy jerk, after which the train was stopped. On checking, it was found that there was damage on the track and sleepers due to a suspected bomb blast.”
State police, Railway Protection Force (RPF) and intelligence authorities are investigating the matter, Sharma said.
“The track was restored at 5.25 am and normal train services resumed. Around eight trains underwent detention due to the incident,” he said.
After the incident, patrolling has been intensified in the section, he added.
On the sidelines of an official function in Bongaigaon, CM Sarma said the state escaped a dangerous situation due to the active response of a loco pilot.
“When a train was passing, the loco pilot noticed it and immediately informed the railway police. If the loco pilot had not noticed and alerted us, we would have received very bad news today morning,” he said.
Sarma said the police have identified one person allegedly involved in the incident.
“There are several cases registered against him in Assam and Jharkhand. Assam Police will be able to arrest him,” he said.
When asked if any militant group is behind the blast, the CM said, “We have only got the identity of a person. Whether any organisation is behind him, it will come out only in the next phase of the investigation.”
