Railway Ministry issues alert after explosives recovered from train

Rourkela: A day after huge cache of explosives was recovered from Alleppey-Dhanbad Express in Jharsuguda, the Ministry of Railways issued an advisory to railway officials to be 'alert' and take necessary preventive measures.

The Ministry has asked senior officials of all the railway divisions including East Coast Railway to take all possible measures through proper coordination with police and intelligence agencies to avoid any untoward incident on trains.

Earlier, passengers travelling in S-3 coach of Alleppey-Dhanbad Express after detecting smoke in a polythene packet had raised an alarm at Jharsuguda railway station on April 27.

RPF sub-inspector, who was on duty, rushed to the spot and doused the flames and later six Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) fitted with detonators and batteries were recovered from the packet that was kept beneath berth no 71.

GRP Sambalpur has registered a case under section 9(b) of Explosives Act, 1884 and section 3, 4 of Explosive Substances Act, 1904. Senior officials of railways and RPF are coordinating with GRP officials in further investigation of the case.