Attempt to Derail Train Near Rahimabad Railway Station in Lucknow Thwarted

Lucknow: Another attempt to derail a train near Rahimabad Railway Station, close to the state capital, was foiled due to the alertness of the loco pilot, averting a major accident. A tree branch got entangled in the engine, prompting the loco pilot to apply emergency brakes and stop the train. Subsequently, railway officials were informed, and a heavy wooden log placed on the tracks was removed. This is not an isolated incident, as similar attempts to derail trains have been reported near Malihabad Railway Station in the past. The police, with assistance from the Base Transceiver Station (BTS), are investigating the matter.

According to Rahimabad Inspector Anand Dwivedi, a railway trackman, Rajesh Rajan, has demanded action against the miscreants involved. In a written complaint, the trackman stated that on Tuesday night around 2:30 AM, a bundle of wood was placed on the tracks as the Anand Vihar-Gorakhpur Special Garib Rath (05577) was heading from Lucknow to New Delhi. The trackman noted that the wood was deliberately placed on the track just before the special train was to pass through the up-line of Rahimabad Railway Station. However, the loco pilot noticed the obstruction in time and stopped the train.

Despite the emergency brakes, the wooden logs got stuck in the engine. The trackman estimated the weight of the wooden bundle to be around 40 kilograms. After inspecting the tracks, the loco pilot discovered that additional wooden pieces, including mango wood, were placed at several spots on the down-line, some wrapped with a cloth bearing a religious symbol.

Mobile Networks Being Traced with BTS Assistance

Following the loco pilot’s alert, teams from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and police arrived at the scene and cleared the tracks. Train operations were temporarily halted during the process. The police have registered an FIR under Sections 151 and 153 of the Railway Act, 1989. The inspector in charge stated that the police are using BTS to trace mobile network activity near the railway tracks before the train’s arrival to identify the culprits.

Previous Attempts to Derail Trains

Notably, on the night of October 24 at around midnight, miscreants attempted to derail the Bareilly-Varanasi Express (14236) by placing a heavy babool tree trunk on the tracks. The obstruction was removed, and railway services resumed thereafter.