Two arrested for Rajasthan railway track blast with suspected ISI links
Police arrested a woman and an associate in Punjab following a November 3 explosion on a railway line in Sri Ganganagar.
The Rajasthan Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Sri Ganganagar Police, and Punjab Police arrested 21-year-old Mahakdeep Kaur and 23-year-old Devendra Singh from Gurdaspur, Punjab, in connection with a railway track blast. According to Firstpost, the explosion occurred on November 3 at approximately 9.45 pm near village 50 GB on the Anupgarh-Suratgarh railway line in Sri Ganganagar district.
Investigators are probing whether the duo acted on instructions from Pakistan-based handlers using the code names Shah and Chacha. Reports from NewsX and Firstpost state that Mahakdeep was allegedly recruited through a romantic relationship established by an operative. Security agencies suspect handlers may be using emotional ties and financial incentives to recruit vulnerable women.
The Rajasthan ATS stated that the pair had reportedly tried to place explosives on the tracks several times before the successful blast on November 3. During the operation, police recovered two foreign-made pistols, 46 live cartridges, and Rs 30,000. Investigators believe the cash was intended to facilitate the operation.
The blast damaged railway sleepers and the track, creating a crater approximately two-and-a-half feet deep. Authorities suspect the Anupgarh-Bathinda passenger train, scheduled to depart at 6 am, may have been the intended target. The investigation is ongoing to establish the full extent of the suspected network and the source of the funding.