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| Dozens dead in India train blasts | Dozens dead in India train blasts |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| At least 66 people have been killed in a series of explosions and a fire on a Pakistan-bound train in the northern Indian state of Haryana, officials say. | |
| Passengers reported hearing two blasts as the train passed near Panipat, about 80km (50 miles) north of Delhi. | Passengers reported hearing two blasts as the train passed near Panipat, about 80km (50 miles) north of Delhi. |
| The train - the Samjhauta Express - was part of a service taking passengers from Delhi to Lahore in Pakistan. | The train - the Samjhauta Express - was part of a service taking passengers from Delhi to Lahore in Pakistan. |
| The incident comes a day before Pakistan's Foreign Minister is due in Delhi for talks with Indian leaders. | |
| The minister, Khurshid Kasuri, said the explosion was a "horrendous act of terrorism" but it would not change his plans to visit India from 20 to 23 February. | |
| Innocent men and women had been killed, he said, a sentiment echoed by Indian Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav who told a news conference that the blast were aimed at undermining relations between the two countries. | |
| "It is an effort to destabilise peace between India, Pakistan. Innocent people have been killed." | |
| Pakistan said most of the dead were Pakistanis and Pakistani foreign ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam demanded India act. | |
| "We expect Indian authorities to punish the perpetrators," she said, stressing that it was India's responsibility to ensure proper security for the twice-weekly service which runs from the Indian capital to Lahore in Pakistan. | "We expect Indian authorities to punish the perpetrators," she said, stressing that it was India's responsibility to ensure proper security for the twice-weekly service which runs from the Indian capital to Lahore in Pakistan. |
| After a two-year gap, the service was restarted in 2004 as part of the peace process between the two countries. | |
| 'Loud explosion' | 'Loud explosion' |
| A couple of small blasts took place in two carriages at about midnight (1830 GMT), as the train reached a station in the village of Deewana. | |
| The train came to a standstill and a ball of fire then engulfed the two coaches. | The train came to a standstill and a ball of fire then engulfed the two coaches. |
| The injured were pulled out of the burning carriages onto the trackside by fellow passengers, and local residents rushed to the tracks to help. | |
| "I heard a loud explosion and then it was all smoke," passenger Tara Chand was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying. | "I heard a loud explosion and then it was all smoke," passenger Tara Chand was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying. |
| "Looking at the intensity of the smoke, many people must have suffocated to death before being charred." | "Looking at the intensity of the smoke, many people must have suffocated to death before being charred." |
| Security precautions on the train meant many doors were bolted shut and most windows had bars covering them which may have trapped some passengers inside. | Security precautions on the train meant many doors were bolted shut and most windows had bars covering them which may have trapped some passengers inside. |
| The BBC's Soutik Biswas saw the two burnt-out carriages and said smoke was still coming out of them hours after the explosions. | The BBC's Soutik Biswas saw the two burnt-out carriages and said smoke was still coming out of them hours after the explosions. |
| The heat of the flames had peeled the blue paint off the coaches, he said, and oil and burnt cinders littered the tracks. | |
| He went into one of the carriages and saw boxes of food and spices that many of the passengers would have been taking as gifts to friends and relatives in Pakistan. | He went into one of the carriages and saw boxes of food and spices that many of the passengers would have been taking as gifts to friends and relatives in Pakistan. |
| Shiv Ram, a police railway constable, was one of the first officials on the scene. | Shiv Ram, a police railway constable, was one of the first officials on the scene. |
| "In 30 years of service I haven't seen anything like this," he told our correspondent. | "In 30 years of service I haven't seen anything like this," he told our correspondent. |
| "The coaches were totally engulfed in flames. I brought out three charred women - I could only recognise them as women because they were wearing bangles". | "The coaches were totally engulfed in flames. I brought out three charred women - I could only recognise them as women because they were wearing bangles". |
| 'Anguish and grief' | 'Anguish and grief' |
| The burnt-out carriages have been moved away from the scene of the fire to a railway siding a couple of kilometres away for forensic examination. | The burnt-out carriages have been moved away from the scene of the fire to a railway siding a couple of kilometres away for forensic examination. |
| Railway officials said five small explosive devices capable of causing a huge fire were defused at the site. | Railway officials said five small explosive devices capable of causing a huge fire were defused at the site. |
| The train carried more than 500 passengers, a mix of Indians and Pakistanis - but most of the victims are believed to have been Pakistanis. | The train carried more than 500 passengers, a mix of Indians and Pakistanis - but most of the victims are believed to have been Pakistanis. |
| Prime Minister Singh expressed his "anguish and grief" at the deaths. | Prime Minister Singh expressed his "anguish and grief" at the deaths. |
| "The culprits will be caught," he said. | "The culprits will be caught," he said. |
| Were you, or anyone you know, on the train? Have you been to the scene of the incident? Use the form below to send us your stories, some of which may be published. | Were you, or anyone you know, on the train? Have you been to the scene of the incident? Use the form below to send us your stories, some of which may be published. |
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| Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video | Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video |