2014 Chennai train bombing


The 2014 Chennai train bombing is the explosion of two low-intensity bombs on the early hours of 1 May 2014 in a Guwahati-bound train from Bangalore arriving at the Chennai Central railway station, killing one woman passenger and injuring at least fourteen others.

Attack

The Guwahati-bound train from Bangalore, Guwahati-Bangalore Express, was scheduled to arrive at Chennai around 5:30 a.m., but it had arrived late around 7:05 a.m.. While the train was stationed at Platform 9 of the railway station, two bombs exploded at the junction of S4 and S5 coaches at 7:15 a.m.. Upon hearing the explosion, panicked passengers rushed out of the train. One of the bombs had exploded under the seat of a 24-year-old woman, identified as Swathi Parachuri, employed with Tata Consultancy Services in Bangalore. Parachuri, the only person killed in the attack, was travelling to her home town Guntur in Andhra Pradesh. Of the fourteen injured passengers, five were admitted in serious condition at Rajiv Gandhi General Hospital.

Aftermath

Investigation

The damaged bogies were detached and the train was searched by a bomb-disposal squad and was then allowed to carry on with its onward journey. Following the incident police have mounted a massive search operation in all the trains. The cause of explosion and device used for it were being probed. A suspect who had been detained by Tamil Nadu Police was found to be innocent.
An investigation by a Special Investigation Team has been ordered. A National Investigation Agency team was sent to Chennai to assist in the case. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa ordered a CB-CID probe into the blasts.
Initial investigation revealed that the bombs might have been planted in the train five to six hours before it blasted. Also, the devices used in the bomb were found to be similar to the one used in Patna rally bombing that occurred six months before.

Security measures

Immediately after the blasts, security was tightened across the major crowded areas of the state. Alerts have been sounded in the neighbouring state of Andhra Pradesh, with police checking all major railway stations across the state. Also, a high security red alert has been declared in the capital Delhi

Compensation

The deceased identified as 24-year-old Swathi Parachuri travelling from Bangalore to Vijayawada, had been sitting in the seat where the explosion occurred. Union railway minister, Mallikarjun Kharge announced an ex-gratia of 1 lakh to the family of the dead woman, 25,000 for grievously injured and 5,000 for those with minor injuries. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa also announced a solatium of 100,000 to the family of the dead, 50,000 to those who suffered serious injuries and 25,000 to other injured people.

Fake bomb report

On the day following the bombing, an anonymous call about a bomb Express Avenue mall in Chennai was made, which resulted in closing of the mall for public for a few hours on 2 May and after searching the mall for suspicious objects, police declared it as a hoax. Similar bomb threat calls were made to an education institution and a suburban railway station in Chennai on the day after the bombing, which prompted the police to issue warning against such activities. Law enforcement was kept on alert for a while following the explosion and subsequent threats.