Chennai, Oct 6 (IANS) Two people were killed and nine others injured when an explosion rocked the Cholavanthan railway station near Madurai in Tamil Nadu Tuesday evening, police said.
“Paramasivam, a beetlenut vendor, and Ram, a transporter, were killed in the blast,” Deputy Inspector General (Madurai) P. Balasubramanian told IANS on telephone.

“Initial indications show that it was a (fire-) cracker blast. We have gathered remnants of the cracker. We have also seized a gunny bag full of what is commonly known as ‘onion bomb’,” he added.

He, however, said the exact nature of the explosion was being investigated.

Police suspected Ram could be carrying the gunny bags with fire-crackers. He might have put the bags down with some force, causing the crackers to explode on impact.

The explosion occurred just as the Myladuthurai-Tirunellvelli passenger train was entering the station about 6 p.m., police said.

The blast was so severe that the roof of the platform was also damaged as passengers ran for cover.

A medical team was rushed to the railway station.

Police teams and railway officials, along with a medical team, rushed to Cholavanthan, about 25 km from Madurai.

The injured were rushed to the Government Hospital in Madurai, about 450 km from here.

Balasubramanian said train services soon resumed on the ruote.