A bomb explosion near a railway track derailed six carriages of Jaffar Express in Sindh province of Pakistan on Wednesday. However, no casualties were reported in the incident. The blast was reported when the train was plying from Peshawar to Quetta, authorities said. Train operations were suspended on the route.
Jaffar Express was targetted for second time in four months
It is the second time in four months that the Jaffar Express was targetted. Wednesday's blast was reported near the railway track close to a cattle market in Jacobabad in the Sindh province bordering the volatile Balochistan province.
The explosion caused a three-feet deep and railway track of almost six feet was damaged, according to Dunya TV. A heavy contingent of police cordoned off the area soon after.
Authorities probe nature of blast
Authorities are currently investigating the nature of the blast and an inquiry is underway to determine the cause and nature of the incident.
A senior railway officer told PTI that by 6 pm local time, one coach was re-railed while the work for lifting the remaining five coaches away from the track was under progress.
Officers and senior subordinates are at the site to supervise relief operations, he said, adding, the repair of track, damaged by the blast, may take a lot of time.
No group has claimed responsibility yet
By late evening, no group had claimed responsibility for the blast as yet, however, police sources said usually terrorist acts in Sindh province are conducted by Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz or the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
Earlier, Jaffar Express was targeted in March in the Bolan area of Balochistan while going from Quetta to Peshawar. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) militants ambushed it on March 11, killing 21 passengers and four soldiers before the army eliminated all 33 of them the next day.
(With inputs from PTI)
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