Five killed, 60 injured in Bengal train blast

Suspected militants triggered a blast in a passenger train, killing at least five people and injuring 60, in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district this evening.

"Five persons died on the spot and at least 25 others received splinter injuries. The blast that occurred as the Haldibari-Siliguri passenger train was running between Raninagar and Belakoba stations," IGP (Railways) Tushar Bhattacharya said.

Superintendent of Railway Police, Jalpaiguri, Mahendra Singh Punia said in Siliguri that one side and the roof of the compartment was blown away by the blast.

Punia said 40 critically wounded had been shifted to the Jalpaiguri Sadar Hospital.

The train was en route to Siliguri from Haldibari, around 50 km from Jalpaiguri town.

The bodies were charred, IGP (Law and Order) Raj Kanojia said in Kolkata.

Home Secretary PR Roy said the explosion was the work of suspected militants from North Bengal. Asked if he suspected militant outfit Kamtapur Liberation Organisation, which has links with ULFA, he said, ''It looks like the handiwork of a militant organisation. We are trying to get the details. The bomb was suspected to have been planted in the train.''

NF Railway sources in Malegaon in Assam, under which the railway division falls, said a medical relief team left Siliguri immediately after receiving information about the blast.

The home secretary said an alert had been sounded in North Bengal. Security in all trains leaving and reaching North Bengal had been stepped up, he said.

Roy said the casualty figure might rise considering the intensity of the explosion. ''It was a very powerful blast,'' he said.

The CPI(M) has condemned the blast and sought urgent action to track down the culprits. Strongly condemning the blast, party General Secretary Prakash Karat said, "The perpetrators of this attack should be tracked. Security measures should be strengthened in trains immediately."

He asked people to be vigilant against such terrorist activities.