Delhi-Bound Ayodhya Express Gets Bomb Threat, Train Halted In UP's Barabanki For 2 Hours

The caller claimed that a bomb was planted on Ayodhya Express (14205), which will explode before the train reaches Charbagh Railway Station in Lucknow.

A Delhi-bound Ayodhya Express train received a bomb threat call, prompting an extensive search operation. (Representational Image)

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Delhi-bound Ayodhya Express received a bomb threat on Friday, following which it was halted at the Barabanki Railway Station in Uttar Pradesh. Officials launched an extensive search operation, but nothing suspicious was discovered.  

The threat call was received on the 112 emergency number. The caller claimed that a bomb was planted on Ayodhya Express (14205), which will explode before the train reaches Charbagh Railway Station in Lucknow.

"No explosives or suspicious material was found during the search that lasted for nearly two hours," officials told news agency PTI.

A heavy police presence was already in place ahead of the train's arrival at Barabanki station at around 7:30 PM.  The bomb disposal team and search squads carried out a meticulous inspection of every coach, Superintendent of Police Dinesh Kumar Singh told PTI.

"The Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police (GRP), and a bomb disposal squad initiated a comprehensive search of the train," police officials said. 

Probe On To Trace Threat Call's Origin

Although the search teams did not find any explosive material, they found a message inside the S-8 coach toilet, threatening that the train would be blown up at Lucknow Charbagh station. The message said: "BOMB Mini RDX 8/7 UC 100 mm Timer." It also claimed that the bomb was hidden in a duffel bag in the S-4/S-5 coaches.

This prompted the authorities to take the threat seriously as the same claim was made the caller on the threat call. SP Singh also told PTI that the Army's bomb disposal squad was called for assistance.

An investigation has been initiated and authorities are tracing the origin of the threat call. "The security agencies are taking this threat seriously. We are investigating whether this was a hoax or a genuine conspiracy," Singh stated.  

It was later confirmed by GRP in-charge Jairam Yadav that the train was released from the Barabanki station nearly two hours after no explosives were found during the search.