After Another Derailment, Ashwini Vaishnaw Issues Stern Warning; Check Incidents Since August

New Delhi: Monday brought the news of yet another derailment on Indian rail tracks.

Three wagons of a Bengaluru-bound goods train derailed near Bhopal, between Misrod and Mandideep stations, affecting movement on one line.

Even as officials under jurisdiction of West Central Railway pulled all stops to restore the route following the afternoon mishap, Union Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw delivered a stern warning to those suspected of attempting to derail trains in recent months.

Speaking at the ‘Chaupal’ conclave with News18 India, Vaishnaw gave the assurance that law enforcement agencies will probe every “conspirator” and ensure none of the guilty evades justice.

“I have a clear message for anyone involved in such attempts – we will pursue each one of you and ensure that all those guilty face the full force of the law. We will not tolerate anyone jeopardising the safety of our passengers,” said Vaishnaw.

Vaishnaw is an angry minister as rthere have been several train accidents in recent months, many of those believed to be part of a coordinated effort to cause derailments.

According to Indian Railways, there have been 18 attempts – 15 in August and 3 so far in September — to derail trains across the country since August. And going back to June, there have been 24 such attempts. Objects like LPG cylinders, bicycles, iron rods and cement blocks have been placed on tracks to disrupt movement.

Recent Accidents & Attempts To Derail Trains

* On July 19, 3 people were killed and 19 injured when 21 coaches of Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express derailed near Motiganj in Gonda, 150 km from Lucknow

* On August 17 night, the engine of Sabarmati Express derailed near Govindpuri station in Kanpur. Vaishnaw stated that derailment was caused by an object placed on the track

* On August 18, engine of a passenger train collided with half a dozen iron rods placed on a railway track in Jabalpur

* On August 20, Aligarh Railway Police charged one Afsan with deliberately placing an alloy wheel on track to derail a moving train

* On August 23, Farrukhabad Express had a very close shave when the train, running between Kasganj and Farrukhabad, came into contact with a wooden log placed on track

* On August 24, heavy stones were placed on the track in Rajasthan’s Ajmer district, between Jawaibandh and Biroliya areas, to derail a train

* On August 30, an iron rod was placed on the down track between Chandan Nagar and Hafizpet railway stations in Telangana’s Rangareddy district to derail a train. A major mishap was averted, and the train was delayed by 10 minutes

* On August 30, 100 Pandrol clips were removed from railway lines in Daltonganj-Kajri section in Jharkhand’s Palamu

* On September 4, stone markings on both sides of tracks at Shivpuri and Padarkheda stations in Madhya Pradesh were found.