Our Correspondent
GUWAHATI, NOVEMBER 24
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Guwahati, a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was recovered from a train near Guwahati on Monday.
The bomb was recovered by personnel of the Government Railway Police (GRP) from the Alipurduar-Guwahati Inter City Express at a place between Rangya and Kendukona, which is around 50km from Guwahati.
Following its detection, the railway authorities were informed and the train was halted at Kendukona.
“During routine checking, our personnel found a bag lying near the toilet end of coach number 4. They then looked for its owner but no one came forward to claim it. During further observation of the bag, the personnel found a bomb-like object inside it. Immediately the station master at Kendukona was alerted and the train halted,” a GRP officer told Eastern Mirror.
After that, he said, the passengers were asked to get off and the train was thoroughly searched. The bag was subsequently taken to the platform. Later, senior police officials identified the object as an IED. It weighed 5.5 kg. It was defused by the Army bomb squad.
“We don’t know who was carrying it. Our investigation is on,” the police said.
During his two-day visit, Modi will attend a conference of the Director Generals of Police and a meeting of the Chief Ministers of eight north-eastern states. He will also flag off the first train from Meghalaya and lay the foundation stone of the Bharibi-Sairang railway track. The Prime Minister is also scheduled to address a meeting of BJP workers.
