Dozens dead in India train fire

At least 64 people have been killed in a fire on a train in the northern Indian state of Haryana, officials say.

Passengers reported hearing two blasts prior to the blaze, as the train passed near Panipat, about 80km (50 miles) north of the capital, Delhi.

The train - the Samjhauta Express - was part of a service taking passengers from Delhi to Lahore in Pakistan.

A spokesman for Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the explosions and fire were probably an "act of terror".

A number of other passengers were injured, and officials say the death toll may rise.

The train came to a standstill and a ball of fire engulfed the two coaches.
The injured were pulled out of the burning carriages onto the track side by fellow passengers.

"Looking at the intensity of the smoke, many people must have suffocated to death before being charred."

Officials said many of the victims were Pakistanis but some were Indian security personnel.

Railway officials said five small explosive devices capable of causing a huge fire were defused at the site.

The Samjhauta Express is one of two train services connecting India and Pakistan.

After a two-year gap, it was reopened in 2004 as part of the peace process between the two countries.