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Railway staffer injured in Punjab blast, Khalistan group claims responsibility
The Khalistan Zindabaad Force claimed responsibility and said the explosion was carried out on the 40th anniversary of the declaration of Khalistan.
Patiala : A railway staffer was injured and a freight engine and railway track were damaged in an explosion in a freight corridor near Sirhind in Punjab’s Fatehgarh Sahib district on Friday night, following which a pro-Khalistan group claimed responsibility for the incident, officials said on Saturday.
The Khalistan Zindabaad Force (KLF), in a statement issued by Ranjit Singh Jammu, claimed responsibility and said the explosion was carried out on the 40th anniversary of the declaration of Khalistan to “remind the Indian government that the fight for Khalistan was still alive and would continue.”
A senior police officer, privy to the investigation, said, “Our teams are already investigating the case. NIA has also joined the probe. We informed all central agencies, including the NIA, soon after the incident.”
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Deputy inspector general (DIG), Ropar Range, Dr Nanak Singh said the blast occurred near a newly built section of the dedicated freight corridor (DFC) close to the Khanpur railway crossing. The engine of the freight train passing through the section at the time of the blast was damaged, he said. Safety officer Anil Sharma sustained minor injuries in the blast and was rushed to a nearby hospital. He has since been discharged.
“The damaged section of the track was restored by early morning and freight operations have resumed,” another police officer said.
“Our teams have already started the investigation, and arrests will be made soon,” DIG Singh said.
