RPF forms special team, start patrolling after train engine hits stones on tracks in UP's Bairia

Ballia: A day after the engine of a train hit a stone placed on the railway track in the Bairia area here, the RPF has formed a special team to solve the case, and patrolling is being done on the rail route, an official said.

Circle Officer (Bairia) Mohammad Usman said that it is to be investigated if the incident is a conspiracy or mischief.

Railway Protection Force Commandant S Ramakrishnan on Sunday told PTI that it appears that some mischievous elements have placed stones on the railway track. A special team has been formed to solve this case. Along with this, patrolling is being done on the rail route. RPF and the local police are working together.

He added that this case will be solved soon.

Meanwhile, Circle Officer (Bairia) Mohammad Usman, after visiting the spot, told PTI that after getting information about the incident, the RPF Assistant Commandant along with police officials inspected the spot.

Usman said that in the initial investigation, it had come to light that the stones found on the spot appeared to be the stones of the railway track itself. These stones have not been brought from anywhere else. Whether this incident is a conspiracy or mischief, this matter is being investigated thoroughly.

When asked whether some of the boulders that were dropped to protect the Manjhi bridge from river erosion had been placed on the railway track by some mischievous elements or persons, Usman said that it is not possible to take the boulders placed on National Highway number 31 to the railway track. The railway track is at a height where it is not possible to take any vehicle.

The engine of a train hit a stone placed on the railway track in the Bairia area here on Saturday, officials said, adding that no damage was caused.

The incident assumes significance as it was a fresh one amid several cases of gas cylinders, pillars etc being found on railway tracks in Uttar Pradesh.

Public Relations Officer of the North Eastern Railway Ashok Kumar on Saturday told PTI that a stone was found on the railway track between the Varanasi-Ballia-Chhapra rail section at 10.25 am.

Kumar had said that on seeing the stone placed on the track, the loco pilot applied emergency brakes.

Meanwhile, in another incident on Saturday, a 16-year-old boy has been apprehended for allegedly putting a fencing pillar on the Banda-Mahoba rail track, causing disruptions, police said. The driver of the passenger train had to apply emergency brakes to stop the train after he noticed a concrete pillar on the tracks, police said.

On September 22, two people were arrested in connection with the alleged derailment bid of the Naini Jan Shatabdi Express by placing a six-metre-long iron pole on track between the Bilaspur Road and Rudrapur City railway stations on September 18 in Rampur, police said.

On September 8, an attempt was made to derail the Kalindi Express, heading towards Bhiwani from Prayagraj, by placing an LPG cylinder on the tracks. The train hit the cylinder before coming to a screeching halt.