Jaipur: Railway authorities and the Rajasthan police have launched a joint investigation into a suspected explosion on the Anupgarh-Suratgarh railway track in Sri Ganganagar district, with a decision on handing over the probe to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to be taken after preliminary evidence emerges.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who visited Jaipur on Thursday, said all aspects of the incident were being examined and further action would be decided after an initial assessment of the evidence.
Vaishnaw said he had discussed the matter with the Rajasthan Chief Minister, Director General of Police, and Chief Secretary. Officials from the Railways and the state government are coordinating their investigations.
“All aspects are being examined as part of the preliminary investigation and review. Once the initial evidence is available, the state police will decide whether the NIA's involvement is required,” the minister said.
He added that the government's decision was based on a review by the defence forces and that all concerned agencies were working in coordination.
The explosion occurred around 9.45 pm on Tuesday on the Anupgarh-Suratgarh railway track, approximately 40 km from the international border with Pakistan.
According to reports, a passenger train had departed from Anupgarh towards Suratgarh at around 8.30 pm. The blast took place nearly 45 minutes after the train passed near village 50 GB.
The explosion was reportedly so powerful that residents of a hamlet located nearly 200 meters from the railway track heard a loud bang and rushed out of their homes. Initially, a road accident was suspected. However, upon reaching the spot, the villagers discovered an explosion site near the railway tracks and immediately alerted the railway gatekeeper.
Police and railway officials were informed, and a police team reached the location. The area was cordoned off as a precautionary measure, and public movement was restricted.
Police and investigating agencies are questioning eyewitnesses, including villagers who heard the explosion and the railway gatekeeper, to reconstruct the sequence of events.
Sri Ganganagar SP Harishankar said that police were examining the intensity of the blast and the possibility of a deliberate attempt to damage railway infrastructure. An FSL team has collected samples from the site for forensic examination. The exact nature and cause of the explosion will be cleared only after the forensic report and further investigation.
Investigators are exploring whether the incident was an accident or a planned attempt to target the railway line.
The incident has also drawn attention to a major recovery of arms and explosives made by security agencies in October in the Rawla Mandi area of Sri Ganganagar district, which borders Pakistan.
The recovered consignment included 7.750 kg of RDX, two Zigana pistols, four magazines, around 867 cartridges, five batteries, and two remote controls. The weapons and explosives were reportedly dropped from Pakistan using drones.
Investigating agencies are examining whether the railway track explosion could have been a trial blast or involved a sleeper cell. However, neither possibility has been officially confirmed.
Another line of investigation is looking into possible links with the Pakistan-based terrorist networks. Investigators are trying to establish whether individuals associated with these networks had any role in the incident. No direct link has emerged so far.
Authorities are also examining previous threats targeting railway infrastructure to determine whether the latest explosion could be connected to any such plans.
