Hoax bomb alert halts Saurashtra Janta Express

Mumbai-bound Saurashtra Janta Express was today halted at a railway station in Rajkot district for a couple hours, after a woman informed the police that there was a bomb aboard the train, officials said.
"Saurashtra Janta Express (no. 19108) going to Bandra from Jamnagar, was brought to a halt at Padhadhari railway station in Rajkot district at 2.40 pm after a woman approached Jamnagar police and said that a bomb has been planted in the train," Western Railway Public Relations Officer Pradeep Sharma said.
Bomb disposal and dog squads searched the train for any suspected object but could find none following which the train was cleared for departure around 4.30 PM, he said.

The alert given by the woman, turned out to be hoax, he added.
According to a BDS official, all the passengers were asked to get off the train, following which all of them and their luggage was thoroughly checked.
Thus, the alert given by the woman, turned out to be hoax, Sharma said.

Jamnagar District Superintendent of Police Pradip Sejul said the woman, who gave the false information about bomb, was identified as Hema Shekhwat, a native of Jaipur in Rajasthan.
"Shekhwat approached a police station in Jamnagar today and told them that a bomb has been planted in Saurashtra Janta Express," said Sejul.

He said that the woman was "mentally unstable" and had gone missing from her home four days back.
"She has been sent to a government-run hospital for a medical examination and her brother has been informed about it," he said.