Bomb scare in Sangam Express turns out to be false, suspicious object found was a 'normal watch'

New Delhi: A suspicious object found onboard the Allahabad-Meerut City Sangam Express late on Monday turned out to be an ordinary watch, the railways and the security officials said after carrying out a sanitisation operation.

According to ANI, the train was stopped at Hapur station after police received information about a suspicious object being spotted in one of the toilets of the train.

Police team and dog squad present at Hapur station following a tip-off of a suspected unidentified package in Sangam Express at the station, train being checked. pic.twitter.com/8JqHLLLKd2 — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 19, 2018

Passengers were asked to immediately deboard the train following which police, dog and bomb squads launched a sanitisation operation. 

Top railways officials too reached the Hapur station as soon as the news spread. 

The area surrounding the platform was cordoned off as authorities wanted to avoid any collateral damage. 

The unidentified object recovered from a train in Uttar Pradesh's Hapur was not a bomb, experts said while giving due clearance.

Following an assessment by experts, the police administration cleared Sangam Express to ply further.

Speaking on the same, Hemant Kutiyal, Superintendent of Police (SP) Hapur, said, "We have checked everything, it seems like some kind of mischief by someone. The train will be sent off now. The object that we have found is a normal watch."

The Northern Railway had earlier confirmed that its officials recovered an unidentified package from a coach of 14164 Sangam Express at a time it was stationed at Haripur.

The concerned authorities, in a missive, confirmed the news and said that the situation was being monitored.

The Northern Railway PRO stated that the officers and staff of the railway were already on the site for a thorough checking.

"We are ensuring that there is no threat to the passengers. The situation is being monitored by senior officers. We are taking this matter very seriously. All actions are being taken to ensure the safety of passengers," a statement from (NR) said. 

(With ANI inputs)