Witnesses backtrack in Shramjeevi blast trial

None of the 52 witnesses produced in the Shramjeevi Express blast case,in which 14 people were killed near Harpalganj railway station in Jaunpur in 2005,has corroborated the police version. The two alleged terrorists whose arrest helped “solve” the crime have also gone back on their statement.

The trial is currently on in a special court in Jaunpur. The accused are alleged Harkat-ul-Jehadi (HuJI) members Obedur Rahman alias Babu Bhai,Hilal alias Hilaluddin,Nafikul Vishwas and Mohammad Alam Giri alias Rony.

Playing down the setbacks,prosecuting officer Yadwendra Chaturvedi said: “Although two persons on whose information the case was worked out have backtracked from their statements,a senior officer from the Delhi Police had appeared before court and stated they had actually given the information.” The Shramjeevi Express blast had taken place at Hariharpur crossing,near Harpalganj Railway Station,on July 28,2005.