'Rail jihad, sabotage, terrorism & more': Outrage as Nainpur-Jabalpur train collides with iron rod on track

In a shocking turn of events, an investigation has been launched into a suspected act of sabotage after the engine of the Nainpur-Jabalpur train 05706 reportedly collided with an iron rod placed on the track near Kachhpura station, on the boundary of Jabalpur and Nagpur divisions. Miraculously, the impact reportedly did not result in a derailment, but the incident has ignited serious concerns over potential acts of 'terrorism' and sabotage.

This incident is the second reported case of alleged sabotage in just two days. Earlier, the Rail Minister revealed that twenty coaches of the Sabarmati Express derailed near Govindpuri station in Kanpur after the train's engine struck an "object placed on the track." Fortunately, no injuries were reported in that derailment.

An FIR has been filed against unknown individuals for the suspected sabotage leading to the derailment of the Sabarmati Express. The FIR details that a piece of an old rail line, measuring approximately 0.93 meters, was found between the up and down lines, showing signs of recent heating. This rail piece was allegedly placed deliberately on the tracks.

The FIR, lodged at Panki Police Station, is under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita's Section 125 (endangering life or personal safety of others) and the Railways Act, 1989. A Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Rajesh Kumar Singh, has been formed to investigate the incident. The SIT includes experts from the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Railway Protection Force (RPF), and Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS).

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Vijendra Dwivedi reported that the sabotage attempt on the Sabarmati Express occurred early on Saturday when the engine struck a heavy object placed on the tracks between Govindpuri and Bhimsen stations. The loco pilot's quick action to apply emergency brakes mitigated a potentially catastrophic situation, although the object was still hit, resulting in the derailment of 20 coaches.

Railway officials, along with forensic experts, have seized the rail piece mentioned in the FIR. The authorities are working diligently to determine the motives behind these acts and to bring the responsible individuals to justice.

The recent incidents have sparked outrage and renewed fears of sabotage and terrorism targeting India's railways. Reacting to Tuesday's Nainpur-Jabalpur train collision with an iron rod placed on the track, one netizen remarked, "This isn’t a coincidence. This is a well planned and designed sabotage to derail our critical infrastructure."

"Such incidents are happening in greater frequency. I am sure the Govt is on top of it. What are all the events that are occurring in connection with the railways? Anything new or strange event(s) that has hitherto not happened but is or has started happening in the recent past?" remarked another user on X.

A third user noted, "It's not possible to surveil the entire railway track network of the country, we need to come up with some preventive system that will enable the loco pilots to find out if there is any obstruction on the railway track long before."

"Rail Jihad is a reality! The recurring rail derailments are like test balloons. The zombies might be planning something big and can go to any extent to derail this country," stated a fourth user.

Here's a look at some of the reactions on X: