The Puri-New Delhi Purushottam Express was halted for over three hours at Tundla Railway Station in Uttar Pradesh early Thursday following a bomb scare, according to railway officials. Authorities were alerted to a potential threat after a tip-off from an X user (formerly Twitter), claiming that suspected terrorists were onboard the train, carrying explosives.
The train was stopped around 2:30 am, and a thorough search operation was immediately launched. Passengers across all coaches were woken up in the middle of the night, and their luggage was extensively checked with the help of metal detectors and dog squads.
“Every passenger and their belongings were inspected thoroughly from around 2:30 am to 6 am, but nothing suspicious was found,” said a railway official from the Prayagraj Rail Division.
The alert suggested that the suspected terrorists would plant explosives on an Air India Delhi-Leh flight, prompting swift action from the authorities. However, after hours of investigation, it was confirmed that the threat was a hoax.
“We received the information from an X handle, claiming suspected terrorists were carrying explosives on the train. After intensive checks, it turned out to be false,” the official added.
Operations resumed once the security agencies declared the train clear. Authorities are now investigating the origin of the hoax, while passengers continued their journey after the delay.
(With PTI inputs)