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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. | 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 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. | 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. | 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." | "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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. |
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