Five killed, 15 injured in Mosque bombing in southwest Pakistan
Karachi, Aug 16: A powerful bomb ripped through a mosque during Friday prayers in Pakistan's Balochistan province, killing at least five persons and injuring 15 others, police said.
The blast occurred at a mosque in Quetta's Kuchlak area on Friday, The Express Tribune reported.
Officials believe the blast was carried out with an improvised explosive device (IED) that contained around eight to 10 kilograms of explosives which was planted inside the mosque, the report said.
"Five persons were killed and 15 others injured in the attack," a police official said.
A rescue operation is under way and security forces have also cordoned off the area.
Police said the injured have been shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment, while emergency has been declared at Civil Hospital Quetta.
Police have cordoned off the area and a bomb disposal squad has been requested.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but Taliban militants and Baloch nationalist often carry out such attacks.
The blast in Kuchlak is the fourth in Balochistan in less than a month's time.
A week before, on July 30, five persons, including two policemen, died when a powerful bomb tore through a police patrol van at a busy roundabout in Quetta.
At least 32 people including Additional SHO Shafaat Ali were also wounded in the attack targeting the police vehicle parked outside the City Police Station at Bacha Khan Chowk.
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13 lakh litres of 'Rail Neer' supplied to train passengers daily: Government
New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.
Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.
"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.
"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country
"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.
"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.
Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.
"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.
"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.
