February 20, 2007	Tuesday	Safar 2, 1428

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LAHORE, Feb 19: There was a high security at the railway station on Monday after a blast in Pakistan-bound India Special 4001/UP (Samjhota Express) in India late on Sunday.

Three reserves of railway police besides two reserves of Naulakha police had been deployed in and around the railway station to avert any eventuality at the railway station and provide security to the passengers of Samjhota Express.

Police officials blocked the road outside the station building to reduce vehicular movement.

“Police officials have been deployed at railway platforms, yards, bridges, locomotive sheds and all entrance and exit points of the station,” the station house officer of the Railway Station Police Station told Dawn.

Even though he claimed that police officials had been placed at footpaths, adjacent bus stands and parking lots, but Dawn saw that no policemen were present in and around yards, remote platforms and open spaces of the station.

“I arrived at the station at 9:30am to receive my father, Safarmal, who is travelling in Samjhota Express but there were no police officials at the station till 11am,” said Mahesh Kumar, a resident of Naziabad, Singh.

Following the blast, police were asked to make security arrangements around railway stations and railway tracks in Punjab.

Punjab Inspector General Ahmed Nasser ordered senior police officials to deploy officials outside railway stations and important installations. He told them to meet with railway police authorities to coordinate enhanced security arrangements.

The policemen were also told to launch a campaign to raise awareness among the public about suspicious people.