Punjab woman, accomplice held in Rajasthan train track blast; police suspect ISI's 'romance' strategy to recruit women

Police said the woman is a resident of Gurdaspur and is separated from her husband who is lodged in jail in Punjab in a drug trafficking case.

A day after a woman and her male accomplice were arrested from Gurdaspur in Punjab in connection with the November 3 railway track blast in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, police on Sunday said that the accused had links with Pakistan-based handlers and had made two unsuccessful attempts to blow up the railway line before carrying out the explosion earlier this month.

A view of the spot marked with barricade tape for investigation, as a suspicious blast has been reported near the Anupgarh-Suratgarh railway line, close to 50 GB village area, in Sri Ganganagar (ANI Video Grab)

The 21-year-old woman and her 23-year-old male accomplice were arrested on Saturday in a joint operation by the Rajasthan Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Sri Ganganagar Police and Punjab Police.

Investigators recovered two foreign-made pistols, 46 live cartridges and ₹30,000 allegedly received for carrying out the blast, police said.

Alleged Pak handlers linked to ISI

ATS Additional Director General of Police Dinesh MN said preliminary investigations revealed that the duo was in contact with two Pakistan-based handlers, identified as Shah and Chacha, the latter suspected of having links with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

"The woman was in contact with Pakistani handler Shah and carried out the blast with the assistance of her accomplice. They were acting on instructions from Shah and another person known as Chacha in Pakistan, who is suspected to be associated with the ISI," Dinesh said.

Police said the woman is a resident of Dostpur village in Gurdaspur and is separated from her husband who is lodged in jail in Punjab in a drug trafficking case. Investigators suspect she subsequently established contact with Pakistan-based handlers. She had allegedly been in contact with the handlers for nearly 15 months and had been communicating with them primarily through WhatsApp.

Police said the accused initially planned to target the railway track in the Ramsinghpur police station area on October 6, but the attempt could not proceed because explosives were unavailable. On October 12 or 13, they allegedly planted a timer bomb supplied by Shah, but it failed to explode due to a technical malfunction. The third attempt, on November 3, resulted in the explosion around 9.45 pm.

Investigators believe the prime suspect was chosen for the operation because her presence near the railway track was less likely to create suspicion.

How the arrests were carried out

The arrests followed technical surveillance, examination of social media accounts and intelligence inputs from central agencies. A team led by IPS officer Nitin Chaudhary and ATS Bikaner unit in-charge Surendra Kumar coordinated with Punjab Counter Intelligence and Gurdaspur SSP Aditya to apprehend the suspects. Dinesh MN said he was also present during the operation in Punjab.

The November 3 blast occurred near 50 GB village on the Anupgarh-Suratgarh railway line, close to the India-Pakistan border. It damaged two concrete sleepers and left a crater around two feet deep. A passenger train had passed through the stretch barely 45 minutes earlier.

Three other suspects have also been detained on suspicion of providing logistical assistance, including accommodation, a motorcycle and help in reaching the railway track, an official familiar with the investigation told HT.

Police said the investigation was now focused on identifying other members of the suspected network, tracing financial transactions and establishing the precise role of the Pakistan-based handlers.

ATS flags suspected ISI strategy to recruit women through romance, money

Meanwhile, Dinesh MN said two recent cases in Rajasthan had pointed to a suspected recruitment strategy by Pakistan-based handlers, who allegedly exploit romantic relationships and financial vulnerabilities to draw women into their networks.

"We had earlier arrested a woman named Babita from Gangapur City in a case involving a similar modus operandi, where Pakistani agents allegedly trapped her through romantic overtures. These cases indicate how handlers may be exploiting personal relationships and financial vulnerabilities to recruit women," he told HT.

The ATS chief also referred to an October 12 operation by the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), in which 7.75 kg of suspected explosive material, along with weapons and ammunition, was seized near Rawla Mandi along the Pakistan border. Two accused were arrested in that case, with the consignment allegedly intended for delivery to Punjab.

However, investigators have yet to establish any connection between the explosives seizure and the Sri Ganganagar railway track blast.