Low-intensity blast in Kanpur-Bhiwani Kalindi Express; no casualty reported

A low-intensity blast was reported in a toilet of a general coach of Kanpur-Bhiwani Kalindi Express at Barrajpur station, around 30km from Kanpur, on Wednesday evening. No injuries or casualties were reported during the incident. Prima facie, the blast seems to have been caused by crackers, which damaged the plywood sheet of the toilet, claimed authorities.

During the preliminary investigation, some material, including a handwritten letter and a plastic bag, was recovered from the spot. PTI quoted Additional Director General of Police (Kanpur zone) Avinash Chandra as saying the handwritten letter recovered from the blast site apparently belonged to Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammad. However, Kanpur SSP Anant Deo told ANI that "it seems to be an act of mischief". Following the incident, the railways, as well as police authorities, cordoned off the entire area and checked all coaches of the train before giving it a go ahead.

#WATCH A low-intensity blast took place in a toilet of a general coach of Kanpur-Bhiwani Kalindi Express near Barrajpur station (near Kanpur) at around 7.10 pm, today. Prima facie, it appears to be a blast of explosive. There are no injuries or casualties. pic.twitter.com/y32bKkkXZJ

- ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2019

The explosion occurred around 7:10pm when the train stopped at Barrajpur station, a railway official told the news agency. "Some handwritten pamphlets in illegible writing containing threats have been found from the blast site ," the ADG said, adding the threatening materials apparently belong to Jaish-e-Mohammad. "Our priority to get properly check all coaches of the train by anti-sabotage and bomb disposal squad teams as a precautionary measure before allowing the train to leave for its desired destination," he said.

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Though police authorities are suspecting it a handiwork of Jaish-e-Mohammad, Railways authorities maintain the real cause could only be ascertained after the anti-terrorism squad report, which inspected the whole area after the blast.

Earlier, the entire country went into a state of mourning after a CRPF convoy carrying over 2,500 jawans was attacked by a JeM suicide bomber Adil Ahmad Dar in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, which led to the death of 40 personnel.

Also read: Pulwama terror attack: Protestors pin Pakistan flag on road; make vehicles, Delhi-Lahore bus run over