No night trains in Assam till Jan 30

KOLKATA - Night-time movements along the Guwahati-Lumding section of North East Frontier Railway in Assam have been suspended till Jan 30 to prevent any possible subversive activity in view of Republic Day Wednesday, a railway release said.

Intelligence sources said there were inputs about threats from different militant groups, including the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA).

In a media release, the railways Tuesday said night running of mail/express trains in the entire Assam portion of North East Frontier Railway has been suspended between 5 p.m. and 5 a.m. The restriction implemented on Jan 24 evening will continue till Jan 30. Intelligence Bureau sources said, in the run-up to the 62nd Republic Day, security has been put on maximum alert in view of the threat from the ultra groups.

The list of suspended trains includes most trains running between Guwahati and north Bengal while almost every train linking Guwahati with other Assam towns like Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Nagaon, Dimapur, Tinsukia and Dhubri has been suspended for the next seven days.

Timing of several trains linking Guwahati with New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Puri in Orissa has also been rescheduled, the railway statement said.

NFR spokesperson S. Hazong told IANS: “The train movement during night has been suspended as a preventive measure ahead of Republic day to thwart any possible subversive activity”.

“As many as 27 trains, including the Guwahati-Dibrugarh stretches of the Rajdhani Express, have been cancelled between Jan 24 and 30 while several long-distance trains linking Dibrugarh and Guwahati with Kolkata, New Jalpaiguri, New Delhi and Alipurduar have been either regulated or cancelled for some stretches,” he said.