Landmine explosion kills 4 in Cambodia
Four villagers were killed and two others were wounded in a landmine explosion in northeast Cambodia's Mondulkiri province on Saturday, a mine clearance chief said.
A high-intensity explosive blast caused cracks and broke flange on Saturday night on the track of the Udaipur-Ahmedabad rail line at Odha Railway bridge. Villagers nearby the track got scared after hearing a loud bang last night.
In what may appear to be a conspiracy to blow the rail track or a mistakenly dropped packets of explosives being transported from a local area of Zawar mines, a major tragedy was averted as there was no train operation after the incident on this route.
Luckily a train passed through this track about four hours before the blast which was heard by the villagers, hence no major mishap occurred since last night on this route, North Western Railway CPRO Captain Shashi Kiran told SNS here today.
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At 8 am, the patrolling staff on the track informed the Railway authorities about the fracture in the track and fringe, CPRO said, adding some packets of explosives were also found there.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated this track on October 31. This track between Udaipur and Ahmedabad was operational after six years by removing the meter gauge and converting it into a broad gauge last month.
Due to rail fracture, the services of two trains; No.19704 Asarva-Udaipur city will be operational till Dungarpur station today, and it would not run between Dungarpur and Udaipur city stations till further notice.
Similarly, the return train number 19703 Udaipur City-Asarva would be run up to Dungarpur, the CPRO said.
The GRP and State Police were drawn into action to inspect the site and probe the case.
The restoration of the track was undertaken by the NWR.
The Railway track patrolling team also spotted a few detonators at the explosion site.
In his Tweet, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said the incident of damage to railway tracks on Odha railway bridge of the Udaipur-Ahmedabad rail route is worrying. Senior police and administration officials are on the spot. The DG-Police Umesh Mishra has directed the police to go to the bottom of the incident.
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