New Delhi: A major accident was averted after the Prayagraj-Bhiwani Kalindi Express collided with an LPG cylinder placed on the tracks, late Sunday night in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur, police said, calling it an ‘attempt to derail the train.’ The quick response of the loco pilot, who immediately applied emergency brakes, prevented what could have been a catastrophic accident.
“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,” a senior police official told PTI.
“The loco pilot (driver) applied emergency brakes after spotting the object. The train struck the cylinder before coming to a halt but as a result of the collision, the cylinder moved away from the tracks,” he added.
According to the police, the incident occurred around 8:20 am as the Kalindi Express made its regular journey towards Bhiwani in Haryana. While passing through Shivrajpur, the loco pilot spotted an LPG gas cylinder lying on the railway tracks. Acting swiftly, the pilot slammed the emergency brakes, but the train hit the cylinder, which was thrown clear of the tracks due to the impact. No passengers were harmed, and the train came to a halt shortly after the collision.
The train remained stationary for about 20 minutes at the site as the loco pilot reported the incident to the Railway Protection Force (RPF). The express later made another stop at Bilhaur station for a preliminary investigation before continuing its journey.
Alongside the damaged LPG cylinder, the RPF and Uttar Pradesh Police recovered a bottle filled with petrol, matchboxes, and other suspicious items, including a bag. The bottle appeared to be fashioned into a makeshift petrol bomb, NDTV reported.
