Mini-LPG cylinder found on railway track in UP's Kanpur

KANPUR/LUCKNOW: In what seemed to be yet another attempt to sabotage railway operations, a five-litre empty gas cylinder was found placed on the railway track at Prempur railway station, between Kanpur Central and Fatehpur in the North Central Railway (NCR) zone on Sunday. The alert loco pilot applied the brake soon after spotting the cylinder on the track.
Apart from the mini cylinder, local police recovered two empty beer cans and a snack wrapper from the scene.

Since Aug this year, at least six alleged attempts have been made in Uttar Pradesh to sabotage railway operations.
"Around 5.50 am, loco-pilots Dev Anand Gupta and C B Singh of the Jorhat-bound freight train, spotted an empty cylinder on the rail track ahead of the signal. The crew promptly applied emergency brakes to avert a potential catastrophe," read the statement issued by NCR.
After a thorough examination of the empty cylinder, it was removed from the track by police, and the freight train was permitted to resume its journey.
"The cylinder was placed mere 30 metres away from the signal. Such cylinders are commonly used by students residing in hostels, labourers working at construction sites, and individuals living in slums along the railway track. Kanpur police, RPF, and GRP are investigating the incident," said Om Narayan Singh, station head officer (SHO) of Kanpur Central GRP.
Kanpur police commissioner Akhil Kumar said, "Although the probability of derailment was minuscule, as the momentum of the moving train would have likely propelled the cylinder away, the deliberate placement of the gas cylinder on the track indicates sabotage."
On Sept 8, the locomotive of Bhiwani-bound Kalindi Express (14117) in Kanpur Nagar district had collided with an LPG filled gas cylinder placed on the rail track between Barrajpur and Utripura on the Kanpur-Kasganj route.
No significant breakthrough has come up in the case yet, confirmed officials.
On Sept 16, the locomotive of the Delhi-bound Swatantrata Senani Express (12561) hit a wooden log lying on the rail track between Ghazipur Ghat and Ghazipur City railway station. The log was dragged for nearly half a kilometre before the train came to a halt.
On Sept 10, three men had placed gravel between the Ghazipur Ghat and Ghazipur City railway station track and pelted stones at the Prayagraj-Ballia passenger train. They were arrested the following day.
In a similarly act, two men, including the son of a farmer leader in Farrukhabad, were arrested for attempting to derail the Kasganj-Farrukhabad passenger train (05389) by placing a wooden log on the Kanpur-Kasganj route between Bhatasa and Shamshabad railway stations on Aug 24.
On Aug 17, a 22-coach Sabarmati Express, originating from Varanasi and heading to Ahmedabad, had derailed near Kanpur after the locomotive collided with a metre-long old rusty rail chunk.