Friday, July 29 2005 15:26 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Varanasi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today (July 29, 2005) did not rule out the involvement of terrorist groups in yesterday's (July 28, 2005) blast in the New Delhi-bound Shramjeevi Express, which left nine dead and 62 injured.

"It was apparent that some terrorist groups were responsible for carrying out the blast in the general compartment of the train in which nine passengers were killed and 62 others injured," Yadav told reporters here in a hospital in the BHU premises, after enquiring into the condition of the injured passengers admitted there.

"The involvement of the particular terrorist group in the train blast would become clear after the ongoing probe into the matter is completed", he said.

Describing the blast as a 'heinous crime', Yadav said the subversive designs of the terrorist outfits would not n be allowed to succeed as preventive measures were being taken by the Center and state governments to foil such attempts to destabilize the country.

He also announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs one lakh to the family members of the victims of the blast and handed over a cheque of Rs 50,000 each to the injured passengers.