Suspect linked to Kokrajhar IED blast identified; criminal cases in Assam and Jharkhand: Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma revealed that the state narrowly avoided a potential disaster in Kokrajhar after a portion of a railway track was damaged in an IED blast late Wednesday night, October 22.

“Yesterday in Kokrajhar, our state narrowly escaped a terrible accident. Around 3 AM, the DGP called to inform me that a part of a special train route had been damaged in an IED blast. Fortunately, the train had already passed when the loco pilot noticed the explosion site,” said the Chief Minister while speaking to the media.

The loco pilot immediately alerted the authorities, including the Railways and Railway Police, preventing what could have been a catastrophic mishap. “Had the loco pilot not noticed it in time, we might have woken up to very tragic news by 3 AM,” Sarma said.

The Kokrajhar Police swiftly launched an overnight investigation, and the damaged railway track was repaired the same night, allowing train services on the route to resume normal operations.

Also Read: Assam DGP reviews security in Kokrajhar following IED blast on railway track

Sarma further informed that a suspect involved in the incident has been identified. “The person has multiple cases registered against him in both Assam and Jharkhand. It is highly likely that the Assam Police will soon apprehend the suspect,” he said, adding that whether the individual is linked to any organisation will be determined later.

Assam Director General of Police, Harmit Singh, visited Kokrajhar on Thursday, October 23 to review the security situation after a powerful IED explosion damaged a section of railway track between Kokrajhar and Salakati stations around midnight.

DGP Singh chaired a high-level meeting with senior police officers and security officials at the 7th Battalion police camp in Charaikhola to assess the incident and discuss preventive measures to avoid any further disruptions.

During the meeting, the DGP directed authorities to intensify security surveillance across the district, focusing on railway lines and other vital installations. He emphasised the importance of coordinated efforts among state police, railway police, and central security forces.