New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday said the probe
into the Samjhauta Express train bomb blasts, in which 43
Pakistani nationals were killed, was still on to find out the
identities of all perpetrators of the crime.
A day after the Indo-Pak Home Secretary level talks,
where Islamabad wanted to know the progress of the case, the
Home Ministry said the National Investigation Agency (NIA)
conducted "painstaking" investigation in the 2007 bomb attack
case.
The investigators visited a number of states at
different locations and also involved experts from the
Forensic Science and Railways in their probe.
"A breakthrough in the case was achieved in the month of
December 2010 on the arrest of a key conspirator, who
confessed not only of his involvement in the criminal
conspiracy but also divulged names of co-conspirators, who had
caused the blasts. Further investigation is continuing," the
Home Ministry said in a statement.
The blasts took place in two coaches of of the Samjhauta
Express in the intervening night of February 18 and 19, 2007
near Panipat in Haryana.
Sixty-eight people lost their lives and 12 others
injured. Out of 68 who died, 15 bodies could not be identified
and out of 53 identified bodies, 43 were of Pakistani
nationals. Out of 12 injured persons, 10 were Pakistani
nationals.
On Monday and Tuesday, during the Home Secretary level
talks, Pakistan wanted to know the progress of the case and
the Indian side conveyed that the probe was still on and when
it would be completed, the same would be shared with
Islamabad.
Right wing activist Swami Aseemanand, who is currently in
jail, had in his confessional statement admitted his
involvement in the blast and divulged names of co-conspirators
who had caused the blasts.
According to the forensic investigation, low intensity
explosive material were used in an improvised manner kept in
suitcases with incendiary oil kept in pet bottles.
The design of the bombs was such that in addition to the
explosion in two compartments which completely got damaged, it
also caused huge fire in three other compartments.
PTI
