An unclaimed plastic bag found in a compartment sparked panic among passengers on a local train at Howrah on Sunday afternoon. The Government Railway Police (GRP), Howrah, will send the packet for forensic tests.

The B141 Up Howrah-Bandel local was scheduled to leave at 4.55 pm. As it was about to pull out of Platform 1, passengers of the first compartment spotted the packet, left by someone under the seat. As there were no claimants, the passengers called in the motorman of the train.

The motorman told the guard who, in turn, sent a message over his walkie-talkie to the indoor assistant station master. The rake was evacuated and a team of GRP personnel retrieved the packet. Suspecting that it could contain explosives, they dumped it in a bucket of water.

An Eastern Railway spokesperson said the Bandel local finally left Howrah station from Platform 5 at 5.27 pm. The rake in which the packet was found left as T93 Up Howrah-Tarakeswar local at 6.10 pm.

Also in Howrah, a small fire broke out at a godown beside the new station complex. Firemen said the flames started at around 8 pm. Four engines brought the blaze under control in around 30 minutes. Officials suspect it was caused by a short-circuit.