India's bloody track record

terrorism.openDemocracy, 22 February 2007

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This week's Samjhauta train blast may be shocking, but it follows in the heels of numerous similar attacks in India, perpetrated by militants of all stripes.

This week's attack on the "Samjhauta Express" train between India and Pakistan shocked the world after a symbol of friendship and reconciliation was reduced to carnage and wreckage. India, however, has a painfully long history of terrorist attacks. The Indian railways - the largest and busiest rail system in the world - are particularly vulnerable. Train blasts and attacks have been a weapon of choice for militants operating in the country. This Madrid11.net timeline charts the recent history of rail terrorism in India.

18 February, 2007

Samjhauta train blasts: 68 mostly Muslim passengers die in attack by unnamed group. Police as of now have detained two suspects.

24 January, 2007

Cargo train bombing in Assam: Separatists of the United Liberation Front of Assam (Ulfa) strike a cargo train in the hope of causing a collision with the Kamrup Express passenger train in the northeastern state of Assam.

20 November, 2006

Belakhoba bombing: 8 people were killed when bombs ripped through a passenger train in the state West Bengal. Both the Kamtapur Liberation Organisation and Ulfa were thought to be involved in the attack.

11 July, 2006

Mumbai train blasts: 174 people killed in separate, coordinated blasts that ripped through packed Mumbai commuter trains.

7 March, 2006

Varanasi train station bombing: Twin bombings at a train station and a temple in the Hindu holy city of Varanasi kill 20 people.

28 July, 2005

Jaunpur train blast: At least 10 were killed when bombs ripped tore through a passenger train in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

14 March, 2003

Mumbai train blast: 11 people killed in attack on Mumbai commuter rail system.

26 February, 2002

Godhra attacks: 57 Hindu pilgrims returning by train from the holy city of Ayodhya were killed in a supposed attack by a Muslim mob. In revenge, Hindu militants slaughtered thousands of Muslims in the western state of Gujarat. A later government report proved that the fire that caused the train deaths were not caused by a mob.

7 June, 1998

Sindh train bombing: 22 people killed in a train bombing in southern Pakistan, which Islamabad blamed on New Delhi.

30 December, 1996

Brahmaputra Mail bombing: Over a hundred people died in a bombing on the crowded Brahmaputra Mail service between Assam and New Delhi. Authorities blamed the attacks on Bodo militants.

25 February, 1995

Assam train attack: Ulfa is blamed for an attack on a train in Assam carrying Indian security forces that left 27 soldiers dead.

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