A woman passenger was killed and at least 9 others were injured, two of them seriously, in two blasts that ripped through two coaches of the Guwahati-Bangalore Express at the Chennai Central railway station on Thursday, officials said.
A TV grab of the blast site at Chennai Central railway station. (Agencies)
Southern Railway general manager Rakesh Mishra told reporters that the blasts took place at around 7:45am in S4 and S5 sleeper coaches of the train after it arrived at platform number 9.
"The incident consists of minor-intensity blasts in two coaches," said Mishra.
The woman passenger killed in the blasts, who was travelling from Bangalore to Vijayawada, was identified as 22-year-old Swati.
Mishra said the grievous injuries of the two persons are not life threatening adding seven persons received minor injuries in the explosions.
The injured have been taken to the government-run Rajiv Gandhi general hospital near the station.
Mishra said the police is investigating the nature of the blasts and those who could be behind it.
Bomb disposal squad and dog squad have been pressed into action.
According to reports, the police have detained a suspect in connection with the twin blasts on the Guwahati-Bangalore Express.
Railway minister Mallikarjun Kharge has announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 1 lakh to the family of thedead woman, Rs. 25,000 for grievously injured and Rs. 5,000 for those with minor injuries, Mishra said.
He added the whole train was being searched and it may be allowed to carry on with its onward journey.
Mishra said the train had a brief 10-minute halt at the railway station ahead of its onward journey.
Soon after the explosion, security personnel cordoned off platform number 9 but the movement of other trains from and to Chennai Central has not been affected.
Police have mounted a massive search operation in all the trains following the incident.
Police said they are probing the cause of explosion and device used for it.
The railway has started a helpline 044-25357398 for the aide of the relatives of passengers at Chennai.
(With PTI inputs)
For inquiries, Railways has set up the following helpline numbers:
Chennai: 044-25357398, 044-64502416
Bangalore: 080-22876288
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