Rajasthan railway blast: Two arrested as police uncover suspected Pakistan-backed plot to target trains

New Delhi: The arrest of two Punjab residents in connection with an explosion on a railway track in Rajasthan has led investigators to a suspected cross-border sabotage network allegedly operated by Pakistan-based handlers. The November 3 blast, which damaged railway infrastructure in the border district of Sri Ganganagar, is now being investigated as a possible attempt to derail a passenger train, with police examining financial transactions, electronic communications and the involvement of additional suspects.

The Rajasthan Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), working with Sri Ganganagar Police and Punjab Police, arrested 21-year-old Mahakdeep Kaur and 22-year-old Davinder Singh from Gurdaspur district on November 14. According to the Tribune, investigators suspect the pair acted under instructions from individuals operating across the international border, although the precise nature of those connections remains under investigation.

The breakthrough came after investigators reconstructed the movements of the suspects and examined technical intelligence gathered following the explosion. A Rajasthan Police team, led by the investigating officer, Nitin Chaudhary, coordinated with Punjab’s counterintelligence authorities and Gurdaspur Police before the arrests were made.

Three additional individuals have been detained for questioning over their suspected role in facilitating the operation. Investigators believe they may have arranged accommodation, a motorcycle and transportation to the blast site, suggesting that the alleged operation involved more people than those directly accused of planting the explosive device.

Pakistani handlers and suspected online recruitment

According to the New Indian Express, Kaur was allegedly communicating with two Pakistan-based individuals identified by the aliases “Shah” and “Chacha”. Police suspect that one or both had connections with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), although those allegations have yet to be independently established.

Investigators believe the handlers cultivated a relationship with Kaur through personal conversations before introducing financial incentives and allegedly persuading her to participate in the railway sabotage attempt. The suspected recruitment method has attracted particular attention because it combines online emotional manipulation with monetary inducements, an approach that intelligence agencies have previously associated with certain espionage and criminal recruitment operations.

Kaur was reportedly living separately from her husband, Karanveer Singh, who is imprisoned in connection with a narcotics trafficking case. Investigators are examining whether her personal circumstances were exploited by the suspected handlers, although the available evidence does not establish that her husband’s alleged criminal activities were connected to the railway explosion.

Police are also scrutinizing social-media accounts, digital communications and financial transfers allegedly involving the suspects and their overseas contacts. According to NDTV, investigators are examining whether the alleged recruitment followed a pattern seen in earlier cases involving suspected Pakistani intelligence operatives.

Railway blast followed alleged earlier failed attempts

The explosion occurred at approximately 9.45pm on November 3 near Ramsinghpur, close to 50 Gajsinghpur Branch (GB) village, on the Anupgarh–Suratgarh railway line. The blast damaged railway sleepers and sections of the track, leaving a crater and prompting an investigation by railway officials, police and security agencies.

A passenger train had reportedly crossed the affected section approximately 75 minutes before the explosion, raising concerns about the potential consequences had the device detonated earlier. No casualties were reported, but train services were temporarily suspended as investigators examined the damage and railway personnel undertook restoration work.

The investigation has also uncovered allegations of unsuccessful attempts to carry out an explosion at the same location weeks before the November 3 incident. According to police findings, the suspects initially planned an attack around October 6 but could not proceed because an explosive device was unavailable.

A subsequent attempt allegedly took place around October 12–13, when a timer-equipped explosive device said to have been supplied by Shah was placed on the railway track. Investigators believe the device failed to detonate because of a technical malfunction, potentially indicating that the November explosion formed part of a prolonged operation rather than an isolated incident.

Weapons recovered, wider network under lens

Police have reportedly recovered two foreign-made pistols, 46 live cartridges and approximately ₹30,000 in cash allegedly connected with the operation. The money is suspected to have been transferred as payment for carrying out the explosion, although investigators must still establish its origin and complete financial trail.

Some reports have placed the cash recovery at ₹46,000, indicating discrepancies in the preliminary information released about the seizures. The confirmed amount, the origin of the weapons and any relationship between the firearms and the explosive device will require further verification during the investigation.

The investigation is being supervised by senior Rajasthan Police officers, including the additional director general of police, Dinesh M N, with the district superintendent of police, Harishankar, overseeing local investigative coordination. Officers are attempting to establish how the explosive material reached the suspects, whether the alleged handlers directed the timing of the operation and whether additional targets had been identified.

Police had earlier said there was no established connection between the railway explosion and the separate recovery of 7.5kg of RDX in the Rajasthan border region. That distinction remains significant because the proximity of two security incidents does not, by itself, establish that they were planned or executed by the same network.

Why case raises security concerns

The Anupgarh–Suratgarh railway corridor runs through a strategically sensitive region close to the India–Pakistan border, where transport infrastructure supports civilian mobility and wider logistical connectivity. An attempt to damage railway tracks in this area therefore presents a security concern extending beyond the immediate disruption of train operations.

Unlike attacks directed at heavily guarded installations, railway sabotage can exploit the geographical spread of transport networks and the practical difficulties of continuously monitoring every section of track. Even a relatively small explosive device can create serious danger if it damages the track sufficiently to cause a derailment, particularly when passenger services are involved.

The alleged involvement of individuals recruited from Punjab to carry out an operation in Rajasthan also raises questions about the geographical reach of suspected cross-border criminal networks. Investigators will need to establish whether the accused operated as a self-contained group or formed part of a larger structure responsible for recruitment, financing, weapons procurement and logistical support.

For counterterrorism agencies, an important aspect of the case is the suspected use of ordinary digital communication platforms to develop relationships and recruit individuals for operations far from their homes. Establishing that mechanism will require corroborating electronic records, money transfers and other evidence rather than relying solely on statements obtained during questioning.

The immediate investigation is focused on identifying the alleged Pakistan-based handlers, determining who supplied the explosive device and reconstructing the sequence of events leading to the November 3 blast. Whether the case ultimately establishes the involvement of an organized foreign intelligence network will depend on the evidence collected and tested through the legal process.