Overview
- A late-night explosion around 9:50 pm Friday damaged a newly built section of the Dedicated Freight Corridor near Khanpur, Sirhind, injuring safety officer Anil Sharma with a minor cut.
- Railway officials repaired the freight-only track overnight and resumed operations by early Saturday after the engine sustained minor damage, including a shattered glass pane.
- Punjab Police registered an FIR under Section 150 of the Railways Act and alerted central agencies; NIA and NSG teams examined the site, with samples sent to the Mohali FSL and no breakthrough yet reported.
- A statement circulated online in the name of the Khalistan Zindabad Force claimed responsibility and called the blast a 'trailer', a claim investigators are probing without confirming attribution or the explosive used.
- Security has been tightened ahead of Republic Day, with precautionary checks reported beyond Punjab, including a search operation at Godhra station in Gujarat, as political leaders trade accusations over law and order.