Fact-check: Have 4 Indian-backed BLA terrorists been killed in the recent Balochistan Train Hijack mishap?

A dreadful incident unfolded in Balochistan on Tuesday where some separatist militants hijacked a Passenger Train, in a tunnel in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, reports said. The Jaffar Express, carrying around 400 passengers in nine bogies, was travelling from Quetta to Peshawar when militants intercepted it in a tunnel near the mountainous terrain of Gudalar and Piru Kunri. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) later claimed responsibility for the attack. Amid this, a claim has surfaced on X stating that Pakistan’s special forces have rescued the hijacked train and passengers. Around 4 Indian-backed BLA terrorists have been killed too.

An account named Tactical Tribune posted an image on X and wrote: “Pakistan’s Special Forces have rescued the hijacked train and passengers. Around 4 Indian-backed BLA terrorists have been killed too”

Fact-Check

The DFRAC team investigated this claim and found it to be fake and fabricated.

Our team conducted a keyword search regarding this claim and found some of the latest reports from Multiple media outlets, such as NDTV, Reuters, and CNBC TV 18.

As per reports, at least 27 terrorists were killed and 155 passengers rescued by the security forces after Baloch militants hijacked a passenger train named the Jaffar Express, carrying around 400 passengers in nine bogies, in a tunnel in Pakistan’s Balochistan province on March 11, reports said. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) later claimed responsibility for the attack.

Reports said the passengers rescued, including 58 men, 31 women and 15 children, have been sent to Mach (a town in Kachhi district in Balochistan province of Pakistan) by another train.

The Pakistan media reported intense firing and explosions near the tunnel, where the militants hijacked the train.

Apparently, structures like “Indian backed BLA terrorists” have not been found in the latest media reports.

Investigating further, we came across a report published by Al Jazeera in 2020 that shed light on the blame game initiated by Pakistan. The report stated that Pakistan accused India of sponsoring terrorism aimed at destabilising the country and undermining its economic partnership with China. However, India has denied allegations by Pakistan that the Indian government had helped fund armed groups on Pakistani soil, calling them “fabricated” and “figments of imagination”.

Conclusion

It is evident from DFRAC’s fact-check that the viral claim citing the involvement and killing of 4 Indian-backed BLA terrorists in the recent train hijack mishap, is completely fake since no such facts or evidences have been found in the support of above claim.