Date : 16/07/2000
BOMB BLAST IN TRAIN KILLS 10 INJURIES UP TO 33 IN HYDERABAD
ISLAMBAD, JULY 16 (KUNA) -- A POWERFUL REMOTE CONTROL DEVICE BLASTED IN A
PASSENGER TRAIN IN THE SOUTHERN HYDERABAD CITY, ABOUT 1230 KILOMETERS FROM
HERE, KILLING TEN PERSONS AND INJURING AT LEAST 33, DEPUTY DIVISIONAL
SUPERINTENDENT OF RAILWAYS SADIQ JAMIL TOLD KUNA ON TELEPHONE.
HE SAID THE BLAST OCCURED IN THE LAST CARRIAGE OF THE KARACHI BOUND MEHRAN
EXPRESS TRAIN THE EARLY HOURS TODAY, RIPPING THROUGH THE ROOF AND TURNING THE
CARRIAGE INTO A HEAP OF RUBBLE.
HE SAID THE AMBULANCES WERE RUSHED TO THE RAILWAY STATION TO SCOOP OUT THE
BODIES AND THE INJURED FROM THE BADLY DAMAGED CARRIAGE, "THE RAILWAY TRACK WAS
CLEARED IN ABOUT FIVE HOURES AND ALL THE INJURED WERE SENT TO THE RAILWAY
HOSPITAL AND CIVIL HOSPITAL HYDERABAD.
THE OFFICIAL ALSO SAID THAT MOST OF THE VICTIMS BELONGED TO THE SOUTHERN
SINDH PROVINCE AND MOST OF THEM HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED EXCEPT FOUR BADLY
MUTILATED BODIES WHICH ARE LYING IN THE RAILWAY HOSPITAL FOR IDENTIFICATION.
LOCAL POLICE OFFICIALS TOLD JOURNALISTS THAT THE TRAIN BLAST WAS AN ACT OF
TERRORISM, BUT NO GROUP HAS CLAIMED RESPONSIBLITY FOR IT. THEY SAID IT WAS A
SECOND MAJOR BLAST IN THE SECTARIAN STRIFE TORN CITY IN A MONTH "AND THERE IS
CERTAINLY A FOREIGN HAND IN THE BLAST FROM THE PRELIMINARY INSPECTION OF THE
DEVICE AND ON THE SPOT EVIDENCE," A SENIOR POLICE OFFICIALS ANSARI TOLD NEWS
NETEWORK INTERNATIONAL (NNI) NEWS AGENCY.
HE ALSO SAID THAT THE EXPERTS, INCLUDING BOMB DISPOSAL SQUAD, ARE BUSY
FINDING OUT MORE EVIDENCE AND ARE HOPEFUL THAT IT MIHGT LEAD TO CUPRILTS SOON.
AN OFFICIAL INQUIRY HAS BEEN ORDERED INTO THE INCLDENT.(END)
SA.BZ/AK
KUNA 161846 Jul 00NNNN