Maharashtra sees another derailment attempt; Cement block on railway tracks

In a concerning series of incidents, another attempt to derail a goods train occurred in Solapur, Maharashtra. A large cement block was placed on the railway tracks approximately one kilometer from Kurdwadi station. This potentially catastrophic situation was fortunately averted thanks to the vigilance of the loco pilot. Following the incident, the Senior Section Engineer of the Railways lodged a complaint at the local police station, initiating an ongoing investigation.

Details of the Incident

The cement block was positioned on the tracks between 7:50 PM and 8:30 PM by unidentified miscreants. The railway maintenance team discovered the block and promptly alerted railway officials. The Kurdwadi Government Railway Police (GRP) has since launched an investigation. The area where the block was placed lacked CCTV coverage, prompting the GRP to request the railway administration install fencing along both sides of the track and deploy long-range CCTV cameras at the station to bolster security.

Related Incidents

This incident follows a similar attempt in Ajmer, Rajasthan, where two cement blocks were placed on the tracks of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor. The goods train struck the blocks between Saradhna and Bangad stations on a recent Sunday night, but no major incident occurred. The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation (DFCC) has registered a case, and the investigation is ongoing.

Previous Derailment Attempts

Earlier in the week, an attempt was made to derail the Bhiwani-Prayagraj Kalindi Express in Kanpur by placing an LPG cylinder, a bottle of petrol, and matchboxes on the tracks. Additionally, there was a previous attempt to derail the Ahmedabad-Jodhpur Vande Bharat Express in Rajasthan’s Pali district.

Terror Links and Investigation

Recent developments in the Kalindi Express derailment attempt suggest potential terror connections. Initial investigations indicate that the person behind the conspiracy may have links to ISIS's Khorasan module. The probe, conducted by multiple agencies, has involved reviewing footage from 219 cameras and interviewing over 100 individuals. Twelve suspects are currently in custody, and the Kanpur police are tracing the delivery of the gas cylinder used in the attempt.