A shocking case of sabotage attempt to derail a Vande Bharat Express has come to light from Pali district in Rajasthan. According to reports, a high-speed Vande Bharat train struck a cement block that was deliberately placed on the Railway track near Pali.
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While the Vande Bharat train narrowly escaped a major accident, the collision caused damage to the train and endangered the lives of around 375 passengers. Strikingly, the development comes at a time when the agencies are investigating an attempted sabotage that led to the derailment of 20 coaches of the Sabarmati Express near Govindpuri station in Kanpur on 17th August.
According to the information received, the incident took place late at night on 23rd August when the Jodhpur-bound Vande Bharat train struck the cement block near Pali district. The Police shared the information on Monday (26th August).
As per reports, BJP State President Madan Rathod had spoken to the top officials of Jodhpur and Ajmer Railway Division on the telephone and instructed them to register a case against such anti-social elements and investigate the matter. He said that some anti-social elements have been conspiring to tarnish the image of the Modi government by causing damage to national property. He added that a major accident was averted because of the alert railway employees.
The Railway CPRO confirmed that the train’s rail guard was damaged due to the collision with the cement block and added that the train was delayed by about 7 minutes. The CPRO emphasised that the cement block was deliberately placed on the track to cause an accident.
As per reports, no serious injuries were reported in the incident. Following the collision, the train was briefly halted but it went ahead toward its destination junction after the driver and guard inspected the engine and train and confirmed it was functioning normally. However, the authorities have taken the incident seriously and registered a case against an unknown person.
According to Sumerpur police station SHO Bharat Singh Rawat, Senior Section Engineer Falna Pawan Kumar submitted a report on 24th August. The report pointed out that an unidentified individual had placed a concrete block on the downline with the intent to cause an accident, potentially resulting in loss of life and damage to railway property.
The report further stated that on 23rd August, the station master of Jawai Dam railway station submitted that an unknown person had placed a cement block between Jawai Dam-Biroliya (OHI Most 513/10-8). When the Vande Bharat train was passing through the junction it immediately collided with the cement block which damaged the train’s rail guard. After investigation, they found out about the cement block which was placed on the railway track.
Multiple sabotage attempts to derail trains reported in recent years
It is pertinent to note that similar incidences have been reported in the recent past. On Friday (23rd August) night, the Farrukhabad Express running between Kasganj and Farrukhabad narrowly averted a major accident after coming in contact with a wooden log placed on the railway track. As per reports, the train experienced a sudden jolt, forcing the loco pilot to apply emergency brakes and bring the train to a halt. It was later discovered that the wooden log had stuck to the train’s engine.
On the night of 17th August, the engine of the Sabarmati Express train derailed near Govindpuri station in Kanpur. Soon after, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed that the derailment took place because of an object placed on the railway track.
It was later revealed by the investigative authorities that a broken piece of railway track was kept on the train line to cause an accident.
Recently, an investigation was launched into a suspected act of sabotage after the engine of the Nainpur Jabalpur train collided with an extraneous iron rod placed on the track near Kachhpura station. The collision, however, did not result in the derailment of the train. The railway authorities have seized 3 iron rods of about 15 feet in length from the spot.
On Thursday (22nd August), the Aligarh Railway Police charged one Afsan for deliberately placing an alloy wheel on the railway track to derail a moving train. The incident occurred on 20th August when the accused made a deliberate attempt to recreate the Kanpur rail accident that happened on 17th August.
Similarly, a major accident was averted in October last year as stones and rods were kept on railway tracks in a potential attempt to derail the Udaipur-Jaipur Vande Bharat Express.
Earlier this month, a YouTuber named Gulzar Sheikh was arrested for putting different items on railway tracks including cycles, soaps, stones and more in the name of content creation.
