Bomb scare in Poorva Express found to be a hoax

An anonymous call claiming that an explosive had been kept in a bag in a Howrah-bound train today turned out to be a hoax.

An anonymous call claiming that an explosive had been kept in a bag in a Howrah-bound train today turned out to be a hoax.

HT Image

Additional DCP (Railways), Bhairon Singh Gurjar, said, "Nothing was found and we have declared it as a hoax call."

Poorva Express scheduled to depart at 4.20 pm was allowed to leave at 5.50 pm from platform 16 at New Delhi station after the GRP and RPF searched the train thoroughly.

The hoax call sent authorities into a tizzy at the station. Bomb disposal squads with sniffer dogs were pressed into service and the train departure was delayed by more than one-and-half hours.

"Two bags which had created the suspicion in Poorva Express were later claimed by a passenger of the train," a railway source said.

Departure of Bihar-bound Sampoorna Kranti Express was also delayed due to the bomb scare as the train was scheduled to leave from the same platform after Poorva's departure.