Rail Station Blast Kills 70 in India
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GUWAHATI, India — As many as 70 people were killed and at least 135 injured today when a powerful explosion rocked a railway station in eastern India, railway officials and domestic news agencies said.
The cause of the explosion was not immediately known, but an Indian intelligence official said he suspected northeast Indian separatists who have been linked to Pakistani intelligence agents.
Press Trust of India said 70 people were killed and 135 injured in the explosion that rocked the Awadh-Assam Express and the Brahmaputra Mail trains at the Gaisan station, about 50 miles from New Jalpaiguri in the eastern state of West Bengal.
New Jalpaiguri is 312 miles north of Calcutta.
The Brahmaputra Mail train was passing by the Gaisan platform and the other train was stationary when the blast occurred, PTI said.
PTI quoted railway police sources as saying that the engine of the Awadh-Assam Express was thrown across to the next track by the blast.
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