New Delhi: Against the backdrop of the deadly terror attack on Samjhauta Express in February, the Thar Express carrying passengers from Pakistan was thoroughly searched following a security alert on Saturday night.
Security agencies and explosive experts searched the train at Munnabao station as soon as it reached from Khokrapar in Pakistan's Sindh province at around 2000 hours, about 200km from Jodhpur.
News agency PTI quoted Divisional Railway Manager of Jodhpur S K Sud as saying that the frisking of each passenger and search of their hand baggage and the luggage kept in a separate wagon was part of the beefed-up security plan that was put in place from today in view of the fact that the Thar Express is to be extended from Munnbao to Bhagat-ki-Kothi, a small station in Jodhpur.
However, he denied reports that the search was prompted by intelligence inputs about the possibility of presence of terrorists on board the train.
Sud also said that the stepped-up security net for the train had been decided sometime back following the decision to extend the train upto Bhagat ki Kothi station from May 5.
As part of a plan for enhanced alert that went into effect from today, more BSF personnel and explosive experts drawn from the army were deployed to accompany the train on its entering the Indian territory, he was quoted as saying.
The Thar Express, the second rail link between India and Pakistan after the Delhi-Lahore Samjhauta Express, was flagged off in February last year.
The terror attack on Samjhauta Express in Haryana on the night of February 18 had left 68 people, mostly Pakistanis, dead.
Comments
0 comment