Bomb threat, sabotage attempt: All�s not well in God�s own country

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Authorities in Kerala had much to ponder on Friday, with an attempted sabotage of a passenger train, a bomb threat to the Kerala Express and a seizure of explosives from a private bus in Malabar.

All this on a day when Vice President Hamid Ansari was visiting the state, and the bail petition of Bangalore blast accused Abdul Nasser Madani was rejected by the Bangalore sessions court.

Sabotage was suspected in the case of the brake pipes of a passenger train being sawn at 20 places, on Thursday, ahead of its Friday morning departure from Nilambur to Shoranur.

The investigation was handed over to the crime branch. Officials said the twin rubber hose of the train was sawn at 20 places, perhaps with a hack-saw blade. Adding more suspense to the incident, the brake pipes of the train were found cut again on Friday.