CHANDIGARH, Apr 28: A blast that occurred on a railway track near the Shambhu area in Punjab’s Patiala district was an attempted detonation, a senior police officer confirmed on Tuesday.
Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Varun Sharma said the person involved in the attempt to trigger the explosion on Monday has died in the incident.
The blast took place near the Shambhu–Ambala rail track. Police had earlier recovered an unidentified body from the site, which was reportedly blown into pieces.
Officials initially described the incident as a low-intensity explosion, but further investigation revealed it was an attempted detonation.
According to police, the explosion occurred around 10 pm on a railway track used for freight train movement and caused partial damage to the track.
“Late night, we received information about a low-intensity explosion near the Shambhu-Haryana border railway track. I, along with the DIG and other senior officers, immediately reached the spot,” SSP Sharma said.
“On inspection, it was found that it was not a low-intensity explosion but an attempted detonation,” he added.
Police further stated that the person attempting the detonation died during the process, and his body has been recovered from the site.
A SIM card has also been recovered from the spot, officials said.
“Based on scientific evidence, including the SIM card, a technical investigation has been launched,” Sharma said, adding that the probe is ongoing.
He also expressed confidence that the conspiracy behind the incident would soon be uncovered.
The Government Railway Police (GRP), Railway Protection Force (RPF), and other agencies are jointly investigating the case.
Earlier in January, a similar blast on a dedicated freight corridor railway track in Fatehgarh Sahib’s Sirhind had damaged a train engine and injured a loco pilot. (Agency)
