IN TWO separate incidents, attempts to derail trains in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh were uncovered on Sunday, raising concerns about coordinated efforts to sabotage rail operations across the country. In Madhya Pradesh’s Nepanagar Assembly constituency, a plot by unknown miscreants to derail a special train using detonators was thwarted. As the train passed over the detonators, the driver became alert due to an explosion and promptly stopped the train. He informed the station master, preventing a potentially deadly accident. The conspiracy involved the placement of 10 detonators on the tracks. Top officials from the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), National Investigation Agency (NIA), railways, and local police inspected the site. The detonators that went off had been given by the railways and they are used as part of regular operations, he said.

 

These detonators are called crackers and when they explode, they make a loud sound which is a signal for an obstruction or fog or mist ahead, he said. Another top railway official said that the military special train was going from Khandwa at the time. Reacting to the incident, Railway Board Chairman Satish Kumar said, “This is a matter of various investigations, and our railway staff is fully alert. When the incident occurred, our security agency immediately launched an investigation, and one person has been apprehended. Investigations take time, and we are following a systematic approach.” In Uttar Pradesh, another attempt to derail the train was foiled when the loco pilot of a Kanpur-bound JTTN goods train spotted a cylinder lying on the tracks near Prempur station. Loco pilot Devendra Gupta quickly applied the emergency brakes and halted the train, preventing any damage.

 

The Railway Protection Force (RPF) and other teams swiftly arrived at the scene to remove the cylinder. The incident, which occurred around 5:50 AM, revealed that the object was an empty 5-litre cylinder placed near the starter on the track. Authorities have since launched an investigation into the matter. Shashikant Tripathi, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of North Central Railway, stated, “Security agencies have registered cases for both incidents. The investigations will help determine who is behind these acts and their motives.” Both incidents are currently under investigation, with authorities remaining on high alert to prevent further attempts to sabotage rail operations.