Sabotage attempt? Punjab police recover iron rods placed on Delhi-Bathinda express tracks

PTC News Desk: On Sunday, the Government Railway Police (GRP) in Bathinda, Punjab, recovered nine iron rods from the tracks of the Delhi-Bathinda Express. The discovery has raised concerns about a potential sabotage attempt, although the motive behind the placement of these rods remains unclear. The GRP has registered a case against unknown individuals and is actively investigating the incident.

“Nine iron rods have been recovered from the spot. The Government Railway Police has registered a case against unknown persons, and further investigation is underway,” stated Shavinder Kumar, the Investigating Officer with the GRP in Bathinda.

Rising Concerns Over Railway Safety

The recovery of suspicious items along railway tracks has become increasingly common across the country, prompting concerns that these could be part of broader conspiracies to derail trains. Investigative agencies are on high alert as they look into these incidents.

In a related event, a significant accident was narrowly avoided on Sunday when the loco pilot of a goods train applied emergency brakes upon spotting a gas cylinder on the tracks near Prempur station in Uttar Pradesh.

“The Railway Inspector of Works (IOW), along with security and other teams, examined the cylinder and removed it from the tracks. It was found that the 5-liter cylinder was empty. Directions have been given to investigate the matter,” reported the Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of North Central Railway.

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Recent Incidents of Possible Sabotage

This isn’t the first instance of suspicious items being discovered on railway tracks. On September 20, the loco pilot of the Doon Express noticed horizontally placed iron rods on tracks in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, and was able to stop the train just in time, raising suspicions of an attempted sabotage.

Additionally, on September 19, a six-meter-long iron rod was discovered on the railway tracks between Bilaspur Road and Rudrapur city in Rajasthan’s Ajmer district. Fortunately, the loco pilot managed to halt the train before any incident occurred. Following the inspection and clearance of the tracks, an FIR was lodged at the GRP Police Station under relevant sections of the Railways Act of 1989 against unknown persons.

As investigations continue into these troubling incidents, railway authorities are emphasizing the importance of vigilance and the need for robust safety measures to ensure the protection of both passengers and railway operations.

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