The Kalindi Express, travelling from Prayagraj to Bhiwani in Haryana, hit a gas cylinder placed on the track in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday. However, an accident was averted.
The incident happened at nearly 8 pm.
According to reports, the cylinder was thrown nearly 50 metres away due to the impact of the collision.
The cylinder was reportedly placed near the crossing of Munderi village between Barrajpur and Bilhaur stations on the Kanpur-Kasganj route.
The train was halted for nearly 20 minutes, and the railway authorities were informed of the substance.
There were claims that some other substances were also found near the track.
Teams of the Railway Police Force (RPF) and the Government Railway Police (GRP) were investigating the incident.
KANPUR COP SAYS MORE ‘OBJECTIONABLE MATERIAL’ FOUND
Confirming the incident, Kanpur Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Harish Chander, said, “The railway authorities informed the police at around 8.30 pm that the loco pilot of a train which goes from Prayagraj to Bhiwani saw a cylinder on the track and applied emergency brakes. The cylinder collided with it and fell on the side.”
“After that, the train stopped for a long time. Then the RPF people came and informed the local police,” he said.
“All the senior officers and forensic teams are present. One cylinder has been found in a damaged position and some objectionable material has also been found. All of it is being reviewed. Further investigation is underway,” Chander said.
The ACP also said the train route was not disturbed and that all other trains were running as scheduled.
MINISTER DEMANDS THOROUGH INVESTIGATION
In an X post, YSRCP leader and Rajya Sabha MP, Vijayasai Reddy, said the incident was a matter of concern, and demanded Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnav to catch and punish those involved in the attempt to derail the train.
“The reports of attempts to derail trains are a matter of concern. I request the Railways Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw ji to take the help of state police and the country’s top investigating agencies to catch those behind these attempts,” a rough translation of Reddy’s post in Hindi suggested.
“Passenger safety should be the priority of the railways,” he added.
SIMILAR INCIDENTS REPORTED EARLIER
This was not the lone incident of a train hitting an object on the track.
In August this year, the Sabarmati Express derailed in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur after a sharp object was reportedly placed on the track.
Similar incidents have been reported in Rajasthan and other places as well.
Last month, Union Minister Giriraj Singh had expressed concerns over the recent incidents of train derailments and claimed some “sleeper cells” of Pakistan-based terrorists were carrying out the attacks.
Ashwini Vaishnaw had also said the railways was carrying out a detailed inquiry into every incident and claimed some disturbing trends have emerged in the recent incidents of derailments.
The police also arrested some people after different viral videos showed them placing objects on railway tracks.
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