A powerful explosion on the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) track in Punjab's Patiala district late Monday night left one man dead, with police suspecting he was attempting to plant an improvised explosive device when it detonated. The blast occurred around 9 pm near Bathonia village, between Rajpura and Shambhu, triggering a high alert across Punjab and neighbouring Haryana. Officials said the impact damaged a portion of the railway track and led to a temporary halt in freight movement on the stretch.
Government Railway Police (GRP) teams recovered the body from the site in a severely mutilated condition, with officials adding that some remains were still being collected. Senior officers, including Patiala DIG Kuldeep Singh Chahal and SSP Varun Sharma, rushed to the spot soon after the incident.
SSP Sharma said the deceased has been identified as a resident of Tarn Taran district, though his identity has not yet been officially disclosed. He confirmed that the explosion caused damage to the track and that the man died while attempting to trigger the device.
Investigators recovered materials from the scene, including wires, suspected explosive substances and a damaged mobile phone, which have been sent for forensic examination. However, GRP officials declined to share further details, citing the ongoing probe.
Multiple agencies, including the CIA unit, forensic experts and the bomb disposal squad, have launched a joint investigation to determine the exact nature of the blast and possible links.
GRP DSP Gurdeep Singh said teams acted quickly to repair the damaged section, allowing rail traffic to resume within hours. He added that details regarding the explosive used could not be disclosed at this stage.
This marks the second such incident targeting the freight corridor in Punjab within three months. In January, a similar explosion near Khanpur village in Fatehgarh Sahib’s Sirhind damaged tracks, derailed a goods train engine and injured the loco pilot. A case was then registered under Section 150 of the Railways Act.
SSP Varun Sharma said no group has claimed responsibility for the latest blast so far. Investigators are examining possible “terror module” links as well as the likelihood of a coordinated sabotage attempt aimed at disrupting a key freight route.
Following the incident, security has been stepped up at major railway stations in the region, including Ambala Cantonment, Rajpura and Patiala. Intelligence agencies remain on alert as forensic teams analyse samples from the blast site to identify the composition of the explosive.
For theLatest news,India Newsand breaking stories from around theworld, visitTimes Nowfor live coverage and in-depth reporting.
Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now
