Twin blasts in Chennai; AP techie killed

• Blasts in S4 and S5 coaches of Bangalore-Guwahati Express
• Major tragedy averted as explosions are of low intensity

Chennai: A 24-year old woman techie was killed and 14 others injured when a twin bomb blast rocked the Bangalore-Guwahati Express at the busy Central Railway station in the city on Thursday. The two low-intensity bombs that went off in quick succession in S4 and S5 coaches about 10 minutes after the train chugged into the platform in the morning, triggered chaos with panic stricken passengers running for safety.

The woman killed in the mishap has been identified as Swathi, employed with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in Bangalore, and was travelling to her home town Guntur in Andhra Pradesh along with a friend.Fourteen injured persons, including two critically wounded, are undergoing treatment at the state-run Rajiv Gandhi General Hospital where doctors described their condition as "out of danger." The ill-fated train continued its onward journey after railway authorities replaced three damaged coaches while other trains were being operated as scheduled after a brief disruption.

The police are probing all angles including whether the bomb was planted after the train entered the city railway station or elsewhere, a police official refusing to be identified said. Two persons who were travelling by the train have been detained for questioning, police said but refused to reveal further details. The floor surface of the two coaches was ripped apart under the impact of the explosion, but the side walls and the ceiling did not suffer any damage. Police ruled out the use of gelatin sticks, which were involved in some blasts in the past in the state, and suspect "the triggering device could have been anything including a mobile phone".

Jayalalithaa, in a quick response, ordered CB-CID probe into the blasts and announced Rs 1 lakh ex-gratia to the family of the deceased, besides Rs 50,000 each to the grievously wounded and Rs 25,000 to those with minor injuries. Railway Minister M Mallikarjun Kharge expressed shock over the blasts and declared Rs 1 lakh ex-gratia to the family of the woman. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condemned the Chennai blasts, saying, "Such barbaric acts targeting innocent men, women and children only highlight the desperation and cowardice of those responsible."

Commissioner Railway Safety (southern circle) S K Mittal will also conduct an inquiry into the incident, Railway Spokesperson Anil Saxena said. Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, currently campaigning in Himachal Pradesh said, "I have directed my officials to provide all assistance to the state government". Exploded bombs being transported to Andhra? Was some area in poll-bound Andhra Pradesh the real target of the two bombs that exploded in Chennai Central railway station early today? "Except Seemandhra, Lok Sabha elections in the entire South India is over. The bombs exploded in two compartments of a train that travels through the area where elections are yet to be held. We are not sure, but there is a possibility...," a Home Ministry official said.

The scheduled stops of the express train in Andhra Pradesh are Ongole, Vijayawada, Rajahmundry, Vishakapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, Palasa -- all located in Seemandhra region where polling is slated next Wednesday. After Chennai, the next stop of the train was Ongole in Andhra Pradesh.