Samjhauta returns, with broken pane

The Samjhauta Express that resumed its service after two days of suspension, arrived in Attari on Monday afternoon with a broken windowpane, reports Aseem Bassi.

The Samjhauta Express that resumed its service after two days of suspension, arrived here on Monday afternoon with a broken windowpane.

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A passenger claimed that a ‘rioter’ threw a stone at it when it left Wagah. The authorities, however, denied that such a thing had taken place. Customs officials at Attari station and the Railway police admitted that the windowpane was broken but insisted that there the train had not been attacked.

The service had been suspended in the wake of the violence in Pakistan following former premier Benazir Bhutto’s assassination.

Only 100 passengers came from Pakistan on Monday and as many left for the neighbouring country from India.

The number of passengers traveling to and fro is a stark decline from the 600 passengers aboard when the train came from Pakistan on Thursday. A similar number of passengers left from India that day.

The violence in Pakistan seems to be the main reason for the decline in the number of passengers. Around 600 people have usually been traveling on the Samjhauta since the service began.