NIA roped in to investigate railway tracks' sabotage incidents: Minister
What's the story
The Indian Railways has enlisted the assistance of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and state governments to combat attempts to disrupt train operations. Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw announced this on Tuesday, stating that strict action will be taken against those found guilty of such acts. "The entire railway administration is working with great alertness," he said during a media interaction in Jaipur.
Security measures
Railway administration on high alert
Vaishnaw emphasized that the railway administration is on high alert and is taking the issue seriously. He added, "We are constantly in touch with all state governments. State DGPs, Home Secretaries, and the NIA are also involved." The minister assured that his ministry is collaborating with all zones and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) to investigate these incidents thoroughly.
Sabotage attempts
Recent incidents of sabotage on Indian Railways tracks
The announcement follows several recent incidents where harmful objects were found on railway tracks, potentially endangering passengers' lives. On September 22, a gas cylinder was discovered on the track by a goods train driver en route from Kanpur to Prayagraj. A similar incident occurred on September 15 when a damaged cylinder and other dangerous items were found just before Kalindi Express halted in Kanpur.
Track tampering
Unidentified men tamper with track, employees arrested
In another incident on September 21, unidentified individuals were reported to have tampered with a fishplate and key on a track in Uttar Pradesh before fleeing the scene. Keyman Subhash Kumar raised an alarm, leading to upcoming trains being halted before reaching the point of the incident. On Tuesday, three railway employees were arrested for allegedly conspiring to derail a train.