Samjhuta blast victims' relatives pay tribute

Mehrana (Haryana), Feb 20: Samjhuta blast victims' relatives pay tributeRelatives of victims of the last year's Samjhauta Express train blast offered tribute in Haryana's Mehrana village on Tuesday.

Bodies of Pakistani passengers, many of whom were burnt beyond recognition, were buried at a Mehrana village graveyard after consulting relatives and Haryana Waqf Board officials.

The relatives said they wished for a speedy investigation into the case by the Indian authorities.

"It is the task of the Indian Government to catch those who were behind this blast. After one year, I'm at the same place where I had come earlier to bury my family members. The government should try to catch the perpetrators," said Rana Shoukat Ali, a Pakistani who lost his five children in the blast.

Two home-made bombs ripped through the Samjhuta Express that was carrying around 527 passengers from New Delhi to Lahore on February 18, 2007.

Sixty-eight passengers died when two bogies of the train caught fire near the Deewana Railway Station, which is about 10 km from Panipat.

Most of the victims were Pakistanis.

The Indian Government termed it 'an act of terror' apparently aimed at undermining the peace process between the two countries.

The Samjhauta rail link was restored in 1976, but was stopped after an attack on the Indian Parliament on December 13, 2001. It was restarted in 2004. (ANI)