Alert Pakistani villager averts bomb blast on railway tracks

Islamabad: An alert Pakistani villager on Thursday saved lives of many people on a train when he alerted police about a terrorist planting a bomb at a railway track in Punjab province.

The incident occurred in Jhelum district when a villager alerted police about a terrorist digging a railway track.

The terrorist was allegedly targeting the Rawalpindi to Lahore Pakistan Express and tried to plant explosives on railway tracks near Grand Trunk Road when a villager reported the suspicious individual, police official Zulfiqar Virk said.

On seeing the police, the suspect tried to flee but he was surrounded by police and asked to surrender. However, he blew himself up, Virk said.

"The dead body was sent to hospital for autopsy and probe launched. Four hand grenades and two pistols, as well as two National Identity Cards and a vehicle were recovered from the terrorist's possession," said Virk.

He said timely alert by the villager saved many precious lives as the attempt to plant the bomb was foiled.

Pakistan railway had been targeted several times by the militants in recent months.