After detonators, cylinders, wood now found on rail-tracks; sabotage suspected
What's the story
A passenger train in Uttar Pradesh hit a huge piece of wood on the tracks late Thursday night, in what appears to be another sabotage attempt. The incident took place with Train No. 14236 Bareilly-Varanasi Express, which was on its way between Delhi and Lucknow. The wooden obstruction, weighing over 6kg and two feet long, got stuck under the train's metal wheels before the loco pilot could stop it.
Operational impact
Incident disrupts railway operations, damages equipment
The incident damaged a signaling device, affecting the Lucknow-Hardoi up and down lines. This prompted other train loco pilots to proceed with caution. A first information report (FIR) was registered with Malihabad police station after the incident. Railway officials warned station masters and sent an inspection team to the site, disrupting railway traffic for two hours.
Sabotage attempts
Recent incidents of suspected sabotage on Indian railways
This incident comes on the heels of recent suspected sabotage attempts on railway tracks in India. Last month, an empty gas cylinder was found on tracks near Prempur railway station in Kanpur. Ten detonators were also found on a track in Madhya Pradesh's Burhanpur district, targeting an army train. The detonators were later termed "harmless" by the Indian Railways.
Ongoing investigation
NIA investigates potential sabotage angles in train incidents
In light of these incidents, the National Investigation Agency (NIA)has launched preliminary enquiries into possible sabotage angles in recent train derailments and accidents. Till now, no concrete evidence of sabotage has been found. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the railway administration remains alert against possible sabotage attempts. He confirmed ongoing discussions with authorities including the NIA and police across several states.