Another sabotage? Iron pole found on rail track in UP’s Rampur

MEERUT/BAREILLY: A 7m iron pole was found placed on the railway track in UP's Rampur on Wednesday night when the Doon Express train was about to pass. A potential accident was averted as the loco pilot spotted the pole and applied the emergency brakes.
According to railway officials, on Sept 18, around 10.18 pm, the loco pilot of Naini-Doon Express (12091) that runs between Kathgodam and Dehradun, reported to the station master of Rudrapur city that he saw one long iron pole on the track between Bilaspur Road and Rudrapur station.The driver stopped the train and the track was cleared by GRP and police officials. The train resumed its journey later," a GRP spokesperson said.
Rampur SP, Vidya Sagar Mishra, told TOI on Thursday that an investigation was underway, and that it was a suspected act of sabotage. "GRP is interrogating a few suspects after taking them into custody. People living nearby said that some youths from the nearby colonies consume drugs on the railway line. Incidents of thefts are also reported in the area," said Mishra.
Inspector Mukesh Kumar, posted at GRP Rampur, said an FIR under section 150 of the Railway Act has been registered against unidentified persons. "Six local men have been detained for questioning. The case is being investigated," said Kumar.
Of late, some incidents have been reported in which obstructions in the form of gas cylinders, boulders, broken rail tracks, petrol in bottles and matchsticks have been found placed on the railway tracks. RPF had earlier said that a terror conspiracy cannot be ruled out.
On the night of Aug16, a piece of iron (part of a railway track) suddenly collided with the engine of Sabarmati Express from Varanasi to Ahmedabad between Kanpur and Bhimsen railway stations. Nearly 20 coaches were derailed. There was no loss of life or property in the accident.
On Aug 24, a chunk of wood was kept on the track in Farrukhabad, and as soon as the Farrukhabad Express passed by, the piece of wood got stuck in the engine. The pilot stopped the train and prevented an accident. The piece of wood was 137 cm long. One end was 65 cm in diameter and the other 75 cm. It weighed around 30 kg. The train was going from Kasganj to Farrukhabad.
On Sept 8, an attempt was made to derail a train in Kanpur. The Kalindi Express collided with a gas cylinder placed on the track on the Anwar-Kasganj route. The cylinder did not explode and fell on the side of the tracks.