Explosives on track: Railway staffer arrested for stealing , setting off detonators during passage of train
Synopsis
A railway employee, Sabir, was arrested for attempting to sabotage a military special train to Thiruvananthapuram. He allegedly stole 10 "harmless" detonators that exploded on a track in Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam district. The train was halted briefly, but allowed to proceed after a check.
New Delhi: A person has been arrested for attempting to sabotage a special train carrying soldiers to Thiruvananthapuram. The said person, Sabir, has been taken into custody for allegedly stealing 10 detonators that exploded on a track near Sagphata, between Nepanagar and Khandwa stations, in Madhya Pradesh's Bhusawal division. The arrested individual is a railway employee.
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The incident occurred on September 18, prompting authorities to temporarily halt a military special train for two minutes. The incident occurred in Ratlam district of Madhya Pradesh, where explosives were found at 10 different locations along a 10-meter stretch of the track. According to Railway Protection Force (RPF) Inspector Sanjeev Kumar, Sabir, a track patrol duty staffer, has been booked under Section 3(a) of the Railway Property (Unlawful Possession) Act. Sabir claimed he was absent from duty and intoxicated on the day of the incident.
The detonators, described as "harmless" by Railways, are typically used to signal obstructions, fog, or mist ahead. Central Railway's Chief Public Relations Officer, Swapnil Nila, explained that these detonators are regularly used by Railways and produce a loud sound when exploded.
"The detonators are called crackers, and when they explode, they make a loud sound, which is a signal for an obstruction, fog or mist ahead." he said.
A top railway official revealed that the military special train was passing through Khandwa when the detonators exploded. The deputy station superintendent at Sagphata heard the sound, halted the train, and conducted a check before allowing it to proceed after two minutes. Further investigation is underway.
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