Date:02/07/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/07/02/stories/2009070253810400.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Train detained

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: The Tiruchi-Howrah Express was detained for about three hours at Ponneri Railway Station early on Wednesday after a passenger jumped out of the train and told the gatekeeper that a bomb had been placed in the train.

According to police sources, E. Yogesh (29), a marine engineer of Aminjikarai, jumped out of the train that was moving at slow speed at Korukkupet and ran towards the gatekeeper, Noor Mohamed Hamid (38). He told him that a powerful bomb had been placed in the train.

The gatekeeper immediately alerted the Government Railway Police and the Railway Protection Force personnel. The train was stopped at Ponneri and a thorough search operation conducted with the help of metal detectors and sniffer dogs. No explosive substance was found and the police concluded that the threat was a hoax.

Preliminary enquiries with Yogesh revealed that he had misled the gatekeeper in an inebriated state.

Investigators suspect that the accused might have slipped or jumped out intentionally. As his baggage was in Coach S-6, he floated the bomb theory to stop the train. He had booked a ticket up to Howrah.

The Korukkupet police have registered a case and arrested Yogesh.