New Delhi: The loco-pilot of a goods train made a crucial decision to apply the emergency brakes after spotting a gas cylinder on the railway tracks near Prempur station in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday morning. The train was traveling from Kanpur to Prayagraj when this incident occurred at around 5:50 AM on September 22.Quick action by railway authoritiesThe railway police quickly responded to the situation and removed the cylinder from the tracks. According to the Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of North Central Railway, “A goods train going from Kanpur towards Prayagraj was stopped using the emergency brakes after the driver spotted a gas cylinder lying on the tracks, at Prempur Station at 5:50 am today. Railway IOW (Inspector of Work), security and other teams examined the cylinder and removed it from the tracks. Upon inspection, it was found that the 5-litre cylinder was empty. Directions have been given to investigate the matter.”Take a look at the video: #WATCH | Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh: Police personnel inspect the spot where a 5-litre empty gas cylinder was found on tracks just as a goods train was about to pass through, at Prempur Station earlier today. pic.twitter.com/6wdsrpAZKg— ANI (@ANI) September 22, 2024Recent incidents involving railway safetyThis incident follows another serious occurrence earlier in September when the Prayagraj-Bhiwani Kalindi Express nearly collided with an LPG cylinder placed on the tracks. A senior police official stated, “An attempt was made to derail the Kalindi Express by putting the LPG cylinder on the tracks. Soon after receiving information, senior officers rushed to the site and launched an investigation. The forensics team was called in and the Railway Protection Force is also probing the matter.” The loco-pilot acted swiftly, applying the emergency brakes upon spotting the cylinder, which moved away from the tracks upon impact.Additionally, a Molotov cocktail was found at the scene of the Kalindi Express incident, raising concerns over safety measures. On August 17, 22 coaches of the Varanasi-Ahmedabad Sabarmati Express derailed near Kanpur after the engine hit an object described by the loco-pilot as a boulder. Furthermore, just last week, a six-meter-long iron rod was discovered on the railway tracks between Bilaspur Road and Rudrapur city. The railway authorities have indicated this could be an act of sabotage, prompting the loco-pilot to engage the emergency brakes to clear the track.
