Goods train crushed pressure device, made bombs inactive

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Gurdaspur, August 1

More than 250 passengers aboard the Pathankot-Amritsar (74672 Dn) train had a miraculous escape in the wee hours of June 27 — the day militants attacked the Dinanagar police station — when the train passed over the stretch of track where militants had laid five bombs. Senior police officers said the bombs, which were placed on the rail track just 3 km from the Dinanagar railway station, contained more than 5 kg of RDX.

Pathankot Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rakesh Kaushal said somebody rang him early morning to inform him about the bombs. He was also told that two trains had already passed over the explosives without any damage.

Officials claim that the tragedy was averted courtesy the goods train that had passed minutes earlier. Gurdaspur railway station officials said while the passenger train had crossed the mined spot at 4.57 am, the goods train had passed through it at 4.37 am. Highly placed sources said when terrorists were busy laying down the explosives, they saw the goods train approaching. They were yet to attach the “pressure mechanism” with the bombs when the train came. They left their task midway and subsequently ran towards the police station. The train, meanwhile, completely crushed the ‘pressure device’ rendering all five bombs inoperative.

SSP Kaushal said: “I requisitioned a bomb disposal squad of the Army, after informing Pathankot Deputy Commissioner Sukhwinder Singh. The GRP personnel were also informed. If the pressure mechanism had been properly attached to the bombs, there could have been a tragedy of insurmountable proportions. It was divine intervention that saved people travelling in the passenger train,” he said.