Samjhauta Express Catches Fire

[Guest]

<b>Samjhauta Express catches fire, 42 killed</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->At least 42 people were feared killed in a suspected IED blast in the Delhi-Attari Special train near Deewana in Panipat, about 80 kms from Chandigarh, around midnight.

<b>The dead included some Pakistanis, top police officials in Chandigarh said. Two CRPF jawans were also said to be missing.</b>

The train to Attari carries passengers to Pakistan for cross over at Wagah border.

<b>Several people were injured in the suspected blast which occured at around 11.55 pm on Sunday night</b>. Two bogies of he train caught fire in the explosion and the toll could go up.

The injured include a constable from Amritsar and at least eight Pakistanis, railway sources said.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
So they are using train to bring bomb/explosives in India.

[Bharatvarsh]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->NEW DELHI - A train traveling to Pakistan caught fire early Monday in northern India, killing at least 53 people, and an explosive device was found near the tracks, a railroad official said.

V. N. Mathur, general manager of the Northern Railway, said the fire engulfed two cars of the Samjhauta Express, one of two train links between rivals India and Pakistan.

He told reporters 53 bodies have been recovered from the burned-out cars.

The train was traveling from New Delhi to Atari, the last railroad station before the border with Pakistan.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070219/ap_on_...ndia_train_fire<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
lol soon Hindu militants will get blamed.

[Bharatvarsh]

Anyone summarise this for me:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->समझौता एक्सप्रेस में आग

दिल्ली से अटारी जाने वाली समझौता एक्सप्रेस ट्रेन में रविवार की रात पानीपत के पास आग लग गई जिसमें अब तक 58 लोगों के मरने की पुष्ठि हो गई है.
घटनास्थल पर मौजूद पानीपत के पुलिस अधीक्षक एम एस श्योराण ने बताया कि अब तक 58 शव बरामद किए जा चुके हैं.

घटना में दो दो बोगियाँ बुरी तरह से जल गई हैं. मरने वालों में बड़ी संख्या में महिलाएँ और बच्चे भी हैं.
रेल मंत्री लालू प्रसाद ने बीबीसी से कुछ घंटो पहले हुई बातचीत में 34 लोगों के मारे जाने की पुष्टि की थी और कहा था कि मरने वालों की संख्या और अधिक हो सकती है.

उन्होंने इस घटना के पीछे तोड़फोड़ की आशंका से इनकार नहीं किया है.
उन्होंने कहा ' घटनास्थल पर एक सूटकेस भी मिला है जिसमें ज्वलनशील पदार्थ मिले हैं और इसकी जांच की जा रही है. '

रेल मंत्री का यह भी कहना है कि आग लगने से पहले धमाकों की भी आवाज़ सुनी गई थी.
घटना स्थल पर मौजूद बीबीसी संवाददाता श्याम सुंदर ने जली हुई बोगियों को भीतर से देखने के बाद बताया है कि मरने वालों की संख्या पचास से काफी अधिक हो सकती है.

अधिकारियों ने इससे पहले कहा था कि दुर्घटना की वजह शॉर्ट सर्किट हो सकती है.
घटना हरियाणा के पानीपत से कोई दस किलोमीटर पहले सिवाह गाँव में हुई है.
पता चला है कि हताहतों में बहुत से पाकिस्तान के नागरिक हैं.
घायलों को पानीपत ज़िला अस्पताल भेजा गया है.
ज़िला प्रशासन और रेलवे के अधिकारी घटना स्थल पर हैं और फ़ायरब्रिगेड की गाड़ियाँ अभी भी आग बुझाने में लगी हुई हैं.

भयावह दृश्य
यह ट्रेन पुरानी दिल्ली स्टेशन से रात 10 बजकर 40 मिनट पर रवाना हुई थी.
रेलवे के अधिकारियों के अनुसार हादसा का पता रात 11 बजकर 55 मिनट पर चला.
अधिकारियों का कहना है कि ट्रेन में 640 यात्री सवार थे. जिनमें से 380 अनारक्षित बोगियों में थे.

<b>जिन बोगियों में आग लगी है वे अनारक्षित ही थीं.</b>
घटना स्थल पर मौजूद स्थानीय पत्रकार सुनील झा के अनुसार पीछे से दूसरी और तीसरी बोगियों में आग लगी है.
उनके अनुसार जिन दो बोगियों में आग लगी उनमें से कुछ ही लोग कूदकर जान बचा पाए हैं और हताहतों की संख्या बहुत अधिक है.

जिस बोगी में आग लगी थी उसके अंदर का दृश्य देखने के बाद सुनील झा ने कहा है कि बोगियों के अंदर दृश्य भयावह है और सिर्फ़ कंकाल ही कंकाल नज़र आ रहे हैं.

उनका कहना है कि जान बचाने की कोशिश में इधर उधर भागते लोग एक दूसरे के ऊपर गिर पड़े होंगे और उसी तरह कंकालों के ढेर में तब्दील हो गए हैं.

आख़िरी बोगी में तो सिर्फ़ धुँआ भरा था और उसी बोगी में सवार लोगों की चीख पुकार और कोशिशों से ट्रेन रुकी.

उनका कहना है कि घंटों के प्रयास के बाद भी बोगियों की आग पूरी तरह नहीं बुझाई जा सकी है.

समझौता एक्सप्रेस

भारत और पाकिस्तान के बीच शिमला समझौते के तहत जून, 1976 से समझौता एक्सप्रेस चलनी शुरू हुई थी.
शुरुआत में समझौता एक्सप्रेस अमृतसर और लाहौर के बीच चला करती थी.
बाद में सुरक्षा कारणों से व्यवस्था बदली गई और मई, 1994 से ये अटारी और लाहौर के बीच दो हफ्ते में एक बार चलने लगी.
दिल्ली से लाहौर के बीच बस शुरु होने के पहले दोनों देशों के आम आदमी के लिए यह आवागमन का एकमात्र साधन था.
लेकिन दिसंबर 2001 में भारतीय संसद में हमले के बाद दो जनवरी 2002 से इसे रद्द कर दिया गया था.

बाद में दोनों देशों के बीच संबंध सुधरे तो 15 जनवरी 2004 से फिर समझौता एक्सप्रेस शुरु की गई.
दिल्ली से पंजाब के अटारी स्टेशन तक की विशेष ट्रेन में दूसरे दर्जे की चार स्लीपर बोगियाँ और साधारण दर्जे की 10 बोगियाँ होती हैं.

वहीं अटारी-लाहौर समझौता एक्सप्रेस में दूसरे दर्जे की एक स्लीपर बोगी और साधारण दर्जे की सात बोगियाँ होंती हैं.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/hindi/regionalnews/st..._accident.shtml<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
From what i can gather, it took place near Panipat and a lot of the dead are from Pakistan or something (I can read it but i have to concentrate hard because i was never that good at Hindi in school and i am too lazy to do that), plus someone like Bodhi can do a better summary.

The other picture at the top is from the Godhra train fire not this one, happened at 10:40.

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Anyone summarise this for me:
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->58 people died in fire, it happened near Siwah
They had found suitcase with inflamable/explosive material, Rail minister said people had heard explosion. Explosion took place in unreserved boogie.

[Guest]

<b>64 killed as Samjhauta Express becomes terror target OR Terrorist attacked themselves</b> <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The suspected terrorist bombing - said to be triggered by improvised explosive devices (IED) - was clearly aimed at derailing the peace process between India and Pakistan as Indian and Pakistani nationals, most of them poor people, were targeted in the attack. Foreign ministers' level talks between the two countries are to resume in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Mobile phones or remote controlled devices could have been used to activate the IEDs, police officials said
..............
Police officials, after inspecting the site, said that<b> IEDs were used by suspected terrorists as passengers had heard a blast in the train before its coaches caught fire.</b>
<b>The police later recovered a suitcase from another coach of the train, that had not caught fire, in which two more IEDs were kept. They were defused by bomb disposal experts.</b>

Senior railway officials reaching the site from Delhi said that the terrorist had planned to blow up more coaches of the train.

<b>"Three IEDs have been defused,"</b> the railway general manager said.

The other eight coaches of the train were allowed to continue their journey to Atari with passengers on Monday morning.
...
<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Most passengers in the train (Atari special 4001) were said to be Pakistani nationals headed for Lahore.</span>

<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

For Mumbai blast it took months to identify explosive device, in this case within hour they came out with result. Wow
FOr Godhara, Railway minister claimed it mass sucide by Hindu women and children. Here for Muslim passenger they are calling terrorist attack. Why this is not mass sucide?

[Guest]

link
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Pak national gives info about explosives planted

A senior police officer said <b>a Pakistani national Shamsuddin, who was travelling in the train, has given information to the police regarding some explosives being planted in it</b>. Police is talking to the passenger.

Thirteen people with severe burn injuries were shifted to Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi, railway officials said.

Home Minister Shivraj Patil, who visited the spot, said explosives were used in the incident, which was aimed at "disturbing peace and spoiling" India`s relationship with other countries.
....

The Railway Minister said a statutory probe has been ordered and compensation as per the railway rules would be paid to the next of the kin of the victims.

<b>Prasad also identified the Railway Protection Force personnel killed as Swarna Singh, Kashmira Singh and Rajender Singh. </b>
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Guest]

Video -1
Video -2

IBN- Jokers are giving prominence to Kausri visit.

Laloo as usual <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->

[Guest]

This BS attack is intended for amrika bahadur to show how the terrorists are opposed to 'south asian' peace process. And for all you know they might actually be able to sell it..

added : atleast DDM jokers are buying this BS.

http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/feb/19msg.htm

Test for Indo-Pak anti-terror mechanism? Discuss

[Guest]

Pakistan is under pressure to control its fundoos in Afghanistan, This may be SIMI showing middle finger to India and pressure on JUI to join them for big game againt Hindoos.

[Guest]

Look at what pakis buy out of this - suddenly this is an "indo-pak anti-terror mechanism" - i wouldnt be surprised to hear the BS about hindu-muslims all want peace and its a few extremists who are blowing everybody up. There was a column by Anil Athale (?) that was interesting.

[Guest]

I was talking about this link.

http://www.rediff.com/news/2005/mar/03spec1.htm

[Guest]

yes, it was very much possible, because India was forced to move its forces from border to control riots.

It could be Shia group against Paki sunni or other way round. They are taking revenge against recent killing in Pakistan. They are killing each other. This us reserved boogie, so no listing.
Now these passengers are claming they had lost passport.
Something is not making sense.
Or
J&K groups are showing their anger against Pakistan.

[Guest]

a whole slew of idiotic responses..

http://www.rediff.com/news/2005/mar/03spec1.htm

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Congress president Sonia Gandhi condemned the ghastly blasts and appealed to people of India and Pakistan to stand up firmly against enemies of humanity.

"Gandhi has condemned the barbaric act of violence in the Samjhauta Express and has appealed to the people of India and Pakistan to stand up firmly against such enemies of humanity," a party spokesman told a news agency.

....

BJP demanded a high-level enquiry into the explosion in Samjauta Express that left 66 people deal and dozens others injured.

"This incident shows centre`s neglect towards public safety," BJP vice president Mukhthar Abbas Naqvi said.

While demanding a high-level enquiry into the incident, he said "there is an urgent need to review the security in the country."

.....

Railway Minister Lalu Prasad said in Patna before leaving for the blast site that "the intention behind the incident is clear -- it is an attempt to derail the improving ties between India and Pakistan. "Innocent people have been killed.

....

Home Minister Shivraj Patil, who visited the spot, said explosives were used in the incident, which was aimed at "disturbing peace and spoiling" India`s relationship with other countries.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Guest]

<b>Pakistan condemns train blasts as act of terror</b>

<b>Sensex up 110 points in early trade on funds buying</b>
But sensex is happy <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->


Think about, security forces are not checking high risk trains, This train is good mode for smuggling good and terrorist.

[Guest]

Link
They are Pakistani, so they are getting treatment in Delhi, not in nearest city Panipat or other town. Had they Indian, and lucky, nearest civil hospital would have been first and last chice for Indian government.

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The patients who were in critical condition were identified as Harish (15), Samim (14), Abdul Kayum (56) all from Arongi town near Karachi, and Ramesh Kumar (40), Ashok Kumar, both from Sialkote and Mohd Zakir (32) from Bijnore in Uttar Pradesh

The six have been admitted in the ICU of the hospital.

The other injured persons admitted in the hospital are Nadim (10), Shaukat Ali (40), M Sakil (25), Ruksana (40) and Aksa (8). They are undergoing treatment in the burns ward of the hospital.

There was tight security in the hospital and police personnel were deployed outside the burns ward
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The other picture at the top is from the Godhra train fire not this one<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->If you are very certain of this, Hindi-writing people really ought to threaten the BBC with a lawsuit for misleading the public.

Sticking a pic of the Godhra train fire caused by islamaniacs as an image of this event (where terrorists from Terroristan blew up their own). How disgusting.

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->We condemn this act of terrorism in which many precious lives have been lost - Tasnim Aslam, Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson
This incident shows Centre's neglect towards public - Mukhthar Abbas Naqvi, Vice President, BJP

It is an attempt to break up the good links that are being established with Pakistan - A B Bardhan, CPI General Secretary

After the initial details from the Indian side, we have not received any information from Indian authorities - Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Pakistan Railway Minister

Whoever is behind the incident is against peace and wants to spoil our growing relationship with other countries - Shivraj Patil, Union Home Minister

My sources tell me that this is to hamper the peace process between India and Pakistan. I am on my way to the blast site to take stock of the situation. We had no prior information on the attack. - Lalu Prasad Yadav, Union Railway Minister

<b>Culprits should be caught - Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister </b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Please tell me , did you caught any others. <!--emo&:angry:--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/mad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='mad.gif' /><!--endemo-->

[Guest]

http://www.ndtv.com/breakingnews/frmShowBa...nd.asp?q_id=193
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>India offers visas after train attack</b>

The Indian government on Monday said it would issue visas on urgent basis to the kin of Pakistani nationals killed or injured in the blast on Samjhauta express train.

"Visas will be issued immediately for the relatives of the passengers who were either killed or injured in the incident so that they could travel to the Indian side," a senior official of the Indian High Commission said.

The relatives could travel to other side of the border in order to help their injured relatives or identify those killed in the explosions, the official said.

At least 66 people have been killed in suspected IED blasts in two coaches of Delhi-Attari special train for Lahore in Deewana in Panipat.

Officials said the government was deeply concerned over the incident and a report was sought from Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.

The news of the explosion in the train was received with deep concern as it took place a day before Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid M Kasuri travels to New Delhi for a three-day visit to hold talks with his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee.

Kasuri will be in New Delhi to attend the Indo-Pak Joint Commission meeting as well as to hold talks with the Indian leadership on taking the peace process between the two countries forward.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Questions
(1) Why is the Indian government rushing to catch and (probably) punish the islamoterrorists who killed these Pakistani people, when the same Indian government is not going to punish Afzal Guru for blowing up Indians in the attack on the Indian parliament?
(2) Why is the Indian govt (and media and pseculars) not offering the widows of the attack on parliament any consolation by punishing Afzal Guru as he deserved, but is going to offer consolation to the relatives of the Pakistani victims in this attack by giving them visas to India and by promising to catch the perpetrators?

And my final question has to do with this:
http://zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=354615&sid=NAT
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The SP leader supported capital punishment to Parliament attack convict, Afzal Guru but pointed out that a suitable punishment should also be awarded to those who pulled down the Babri mosque.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->Why does an Indian political party (of all things) equate an attack on our national sovereignty by anti-Indian terrorists with the demolition of Babri masjid??? Only proves SP is an anti-national party. But everyone including SP falls over backwards to ensure they please their new friend Pakistan, who was behind the parliament attacks.

[Guest]

http://au.news.yahoo.com/070219/19/12gxi.html
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Monday February 19, 04:19 PM
<b>Blast kills 64 on India-Pakistan friendship train</b>
Photo : AFP 
NEW DELHI (AFP) - At least 64 people burned to death after a blast aboard a train from India to Pakistan that officials said was intended to damage the peace process between the two neighbours.

Explosives were found in two suitcases which directly pointed to sabotage, Indian Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav told reporters on Monday following the overnight blast on the "Samjhauta (Friendship) Express".

Explosions ripped through two passenger carriages around midnight near Panipat, 100 kilometres (60 miles) north of New Delhi. The twice-weekly service runs from the Indian capital to Lahore in Pakistan.

"The intention is clear -- it is an effort to destabilise peace between India, Pakistan. Innocent people have been killed," said the railways minister.

"At least 64 people are dead," he said. Two dozen more were reported injured.

New Delhi Television, citing intelligence sources, said the blast may be linked to an attack on commuter trains in Mumbai last July that left 185 dead and led India to suspend peace talks for several months.
(That was caused by Indian islamists, so are they saying this is too?)

Forensic experts told Star News television that low intensity explosives had been used along with bottles of kerosene to spread fire. A dozen more bottles which had failed to explode had been found.

In a statement, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed "anguish and grief" at the loss of lives.

"The culprits will be caught," he <b>vowed</b>.

Home Minister Shiv Raj Patil said: "Whoever has done it is against peace, against the friendly ties that we are trying to build with other countries."

Panipat police superintendent Mohinder Singh Sheoran told AFP by telephone that 62 bodies had been removed from the wreckage. Police said several Pakistanis were among the dead and wounded.

"We have eyewitnesses who said they heard two blasts," said Vinoo Narain Mathur, general manager of India's Northern Railways. "Police have found a detonator at the scene."

Television channels showed rescue workers sifting through ash and cinders in two charred carriages as witnesses spoke of a sudden ball of fire.

"We were sleeping when I heard the blast," a sobbing survivor told Times Now Television.

"The doors were closed, we couldn't open them, I felt suffocated," he said, showing a heavily bandaged hand.

"There was panic among the passengers ... There was total chaos in the train," said a survivor named by the Press Trust of India as Zubaida.

Wasim Khan arrived looking for his Pakistani uncle who was on the train.

"I don't know what has happened to him," he told Star News.

Times Now said it took one and a half hours for rescue workers to arrive at the scene at Deewana.

The cross-border train service represents a rapprochement between the neighbours, who have fought three wars since the subcontinent won independence from Britain in 1947.

New Delhi accuses Islamabad of lending support to an Islamic rebellion in Indian-administered Kashmir, where violence since the start of the insurgency in 1989 has killed at least 44,000 people.

Islamabad denies supporting the insurgency.

The Friendship Express was suspended in 2002 because of tensions following an attack on India's parliament in December 2001 by suspected Pakistan-backed militants. It was restarted in January 2004.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[SSridhar]

Since this is one more terrorist attack on India by TSP, we should suspend the Samjhauta express and all other peace-process initiatives until TSP takes verifiable action against its terror units and the ISI.