While Varanasi Superintendent of Police Lalji Shukla termed the blast as an “accident”, Central Intelligence Bureau investigators refused to buy the theory.

The reason why a wire was attached to the detonator remains a mystery.

Shukla said, “The device was an electric detonator, which may have been left behind with the stone chips used for track repairs. Such detonators are commercially used to blast rocks and make stone chips. It is not a terror or criminal act as the amount of explosives in detonators is too less.”

Intelligence Bureau officers, however, disagreed. “It is likely that those planted the detonator had gone to arrange other resources for a major train blast but the girl accidentally spoilt their plans.”

Interestingly, the Allahabad-Jaunpur passenger train had passed on the tracks 10 to 15 minutes before the blast. It is still not clear why the detonator did not blow up then. IB officials point towards the possibility of the Gorakhpur-Mumbai Godaan Express, to pass on the tracks three hours later, being the target of a subversive act.

Rai Sahib Chauhan, Rinky’s father, said he was working in the fields nearby when the blast occurred. Doctors at the Sadar hospital, pointing to Rinky’s heavily bandaged hand, said she was out of danger but had suffered major injuries in three fingers.

There was no damage to the rail tracks. Meanwhile, a bomb disposal squad gathered samples from the spot.