GUWAHATl. Dec 31: The government of the Indian state of Assam today invited tribal Bodo militants for peace talks after a passenger train was bombed here, killing scores of people, reports AFP.

Rescuers so far recovered 59 bodies from the crowded train ripped apart by two bomb blasts. Reuter quoting authorities said today. They expected to find more victims In the twisted wreckage.

But officials held out hope that fewer died than the 300 Initially believed killed.

Three of the train's 19 carriages — each crammed with up to 100 people leaving for the New Year holiday — were destroyed in the twin blasts after the train lefi Kokrajhar Station in Assam stale for Delhi around 7 pm fl 330 GMT) on Monday police said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which authorities blamed on Bodo tribal guerillas who have waged a Violent separatist struggle for nearly a decade.

A police spokesman in Kokrajhar said none of the estimated 160 passengers in the two sleeper coaches which took the brunt of the explosions were believed to have survived.

"It appeared that there were no survivors in the. two coaches." he said.

By mid-afternoon today 59 tiodies had lieen recovered at the site of Ihe attack In the town of Sensapani some 200km west of Guwahall. authorities said.

Dozens of mutilated bodies, some of Diem children, lay on a soft rice paddy field near the tracks.