21-year-old woman among two held in Rajasthan train blast case; Pakistan link suspected

New Delhi: The Rajasthan Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested two Punjab residents, including a 21-year-old woman, in connection with the November 3 blast on a railway track in Sri Ganganagar district, with investigators suspecting that they were acting on the instructions of Pakistan-based handlers.

The accused have been identified as Mahakdeep Kaur (21) and Davinder Singh (22), both residents of Gurdaspur in Punjab. They were arrested in a joint operation involving the Rajasthan ATS, Sri Ganganagar Police and Punjab Police.

According to police officials, Kaur was in contact with two Pakistan-based handlers identified as 'Chacha' and 'Shah'. The handlers allegedly lured her through romantic conversations and financial assistance, a method investigators suspect was used to recruit her for the operation. She is also suspected of having received money to carry out the blast.

Investigators are probing possible links between the accused and Pakistan's intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Police have recovered two pistols, 46 cartridges and Rs 46,000 allegedly linked to the operation. Investigators also found that the accused had visited Sri Ganganagar multiple times before the blast.

Police have detained three other people suspected of helping the accused by providing accommodation, a motorcycle and transportation. The arrested duo is being questioned to establish the circumstances surrounding the explosion, identify their alleged handlers and ascertain the involvement of others in the suspected network.
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What happened in the Rajasthan railway track blast?

The explosion occurred on November 3 near 50 GB village along the Anupgarh-Suratgarh railway line in Rajasthan's Sri Ganganagar district.

The blast damaged two cement pillars supporting the railway tracks, raising concerns that it could have been an attempt to derail a moving train. The explosion occurred shortly after a passenger train had passed through the section. No injuries were reported.

Railway authorities suspended train services on the affected stretch as a precautionary measure, leading to the cancellation of several trains. Services resumed on November 5 after repairs and safety inspections were completed.

Following the incident, the Railways lodged a complaint against unidentified persons at Ramsinghpur police station, prompting the police to register a case and launch an investigation.
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Police ruled out link with recovered RDX

Earlier, Sri Ganganagar Superintendent of Police Harishankar had said that the railway track blast had no connection, so far, with the 7.5 kg of RDX (Research Department Explosive) recovered recently in the border region.

On November 14, Bikaner Range Inspector General Om Prakash said investigators had identified a possible local connection and made significant progress in the case.

He had also acknowledged the inputs received from the Central Intelligence Bureau and other agencies, adding that investigators had gathered several leads and expected to solve the case soon.

The latest arrests have brought the suspected cross-border links of the railway blast under investigation, with police continuing efforts to establish the roles of the accused and their alleged handlers.