New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has assured Pakistan that the perpetrators of the blast on the Delhi Atari Samjhauta Express will be caught and punished.
The Prime Minister spoke to his Pakistani counterpart, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and told him that the alertness of the police in defusing three more bombs on the train helped avert a much bigger tragedy.
He also said that India is committed towards fighting terrorism and that it would extend all help to Pakistan including providing visas to the relatives of those on the train.
Manmohan Singh also conveyed his condolences to the families of the Pakistani victims and said steps would be taken to provide all possible assistance for the injured and the bereaved.
Meanwhile, one person was detained in connection with the twin blasts. "On the basis of information given by eyewitnesses, one person who was present in one of the two coaches that caught fire has been detained," Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav told PTI.
There were nearly 600 people on the Lahore-bound Samjhauta Express, of which 67 died in the blast while 13 were seriously injured. Most of the dead and the injured were Pakistani nationals.
The blasts took place just ahead of the visit of Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mohd Kasuri who arrives in New Delhi on Wednesday for the meeting of the Joint Commission.
Officials have started taking blood samples of victims' families so that a DNA test can be done on the dead bodies. The identification process will begin after the DNA test is completed.
Officials will also take the help of AIIMS' Forensic Department to identify the bodies - many of which are charred beyond recognition.
Five of the dead bodies - which could be identified - have been handed over to their relatives. These include the bodies of two Indian nationals, one Pakistani national and two policemen of the General Railways.
(With inputs from PTI)
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