In what is suspected to be an attempted sabotage, unidentified individuals allegedly tampered with a railway track by removing fish plates and loosening multiple bolts in Gujarat’s Surat district on Saturday, police reported. The potential derailment was averted when a vigilant lineman detected the damage before any trains passed through the affected section, situated between Kosamba and Kim railway stations.
According to Surat (Rural) Superintendent of Police Hitesh Joysar, the perpetrators removed two fish plates connecting the rails and placed them on the parallel track. Additionally, around 40-50 bolts were loosened.
The tampering was discovered around 5.30 am by a lineman during his routine inspection, who promptly alerted the railway authorities. Railway engineers quickly arrived at the site, repaired the track, and train services resumed shortly after.
Deputy Superintendent of Police RR Sarvaiya confirmed that both the railway and local police have launched an investigation into the incident, and a case is being registered. Inspector PH Jadeja of Kim police station described the incident as a deliberate attempt to derail a train, with a major accident narrowly avoided due to the swift response of railway staff.
A potential train accident was averted earlier this week thanks to the quick actions of the loco pilot of the Naini Jan Shatabdi Express. The pilot spotted a six-meter-long iron pole on the tracks between Bilaspur Road and Rudrapur City and promptly applied the emergency brakes, preventing a disaster. According to railway officials, the incident occurred at 10:18 PM when the loco pilot reported the obstruction to the Station Master at Rudrapur City. The spokesperson suggested that the placement of the iron pole might have been an act of sabotage intended to disrupt train operations.
(With agency inputs)