Another sabotage suspected as train hits rail piece

A passenger train was halted after it hit an old iron piece of rail placed vertically in the middle of a track by someone in a suspected sabotage attempt in Gujarat's Botad early on Wednesday, the police said.

IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo

Nobody was injured in the incident, they said.

"The Okha-Bhavnagar passenger train (19210) passing through Ranpur police station limits in Botad district hit a four feet-long piece of old rail placed on the track next to cement sleepers around 3 am," superintendent of police, Botad, Kishor Baloliya, said.

"The train hit the piece of iron rail placed in a standing position in the middle of the track, following which it was halted there for several hours. The local police personnel were informed around 7.30 am, which reached the spot and launched an investigation, " he said.

The incident occurred around two km from Kundli railway station, he said.

According to the police, it appears to be a case of sabotage attempt, but investigation was on.

The incident took place after three railway employees were arrested on Monday in Surat district for alleged track tampering and alerting authorities about a "sabotage attempt" to take credit for averting a possible tragedy.

They had informed the railway authorities about some "miscreants" removing elastic clips and two fishplates from one set of tracks and placing them on another to derail a train. They indulged in the act to ensure they would be felicitated and be deployed on night duty further, which would give them time to spend with the family during the day, officials said.