INDIA - Dozens dead in India train blasts

February 19, 2007

Monday, 19 February 2007, 08:24 GMT

Dozens dead in India train blasts

The fire engulfed two carriages on the Samjhauta Express

At least 66 people have been killed after explosions on a train bound from India to Pakistan sparked a fire that swept through two carriages.

Passengers said they heard two blasts as the train passed near Panipat, about 80km (50 miles) north of Delhi.

The train - the Samjhauta Express -is part of a service taking passengers from Delhi to Lahore in Pakistan.

The Indian and Pakistani governments have both said the blasts were " an act of terrorism " aimed at disrupting ties.

The blasts happened a day before Pakistan's Foreign Minister was due in Delhi for talks with Indian leaders.

The minister, Khurshid Kasuri, said the explosion was a " horrendous act of terrorism " but it would not change his plans to visit India from 20 to 23 February.

I head a loud explosion and then it was all smoke

Tara Chand Passenger

Innocent men and women had been killed, he said, a sentiment echoed by Indian Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav who told a news conference that the blast were aimed at undermining relations between the two countries.

" It is an effort to destabilise peace between India, Pakistan. Innocent people have been killed. "

Islamabad said most of the dead were Pakistanis and foreign ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam demanded India act.

" We expect Indian authorities to punish the perpetrators, " she said, stressing that it was India's responsibility to ensure proper security for the twice-weekly service which runs from the Indian capital to Lahore in Pakistan.

After a two-year gap, the service was restarted in 2004 as part of the peace process between the two countries.

'Loud explosion'

A couple of small blasts took place in two carriages at about midnight (1830 GMT), as the train reached a station in the village of Deewana.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6374377.stm

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