Death toll in train fire in India rises to 64

At least 64 passengers, including Pakistani nationals, were feared killed early Monday in a terror attack on the Samjhauta Express - "friendship train" between India and Pakistan in Panipat of Haryana state of India, according to New Delhi TV.

The blasts were triggered by improvised explosive devices. A devastating fire engulfed No. 10 and 11 coaches of the train after 1 a.m. Monday. The passengers were on their way from Delhi of India to Lahore of Pakistan, the report said.

Most of the passengers were killed due to burns and suffocation inside the two coaches. Scores of other passengers were injured, 20 of them critically, and were rushed to a hospital nearby. Police said the death toll could rise as some of the injured are in critical condition.

Fire fighters rushed to the spot and put out the fire after over two hours. Police has found improvised explosive devices in the two coaches and recovered a suitcase from another coach of the train, in which two more improvised explosive devices were kept.

The friendship train left Delhi Railway Station late night the previous day and was on its way to Atari - the last station on the Indian side, from which, Lahore is just 30 kilometers.

Most passengers aboard the train were Pakistani nationals headed for Lahore.

The train service, which takes passengers from New Delhi to the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore after a transfer at the border, was suspended in early 2002 because of tensions between Pakistan and India. It was restarted in January 2004.

The foreign ministers' talks between India and Pakistan were scheduled to resume in New Delhi Tuesday.

Source: Xinhua