A series of sabotage attempts across different cities in Uttar Pradesh and several other states have raised concerns regarding the safety of railways. There have been reports of miscreants placing various objects, including gas cylinders, iron rods, and tree branches, on railway tracks in a suspected attempt to derail trains. A fresh incident was reported on Saturday from UP’s Ballia, where an attempt was made to derail the Lucknow-Chhapra Express by placing a large stone on the tracks between Bakulha and Manjhi stations, Jagran.com reported.
The express train, which had departed from Ballia at around 9 am, encountered the obstruction approximately 300 meters before the Manjhi Bridge, at around 10:40 am.
The train was travelling at a speed of about 100 kilometres when the locomotive pilot noticed the stone on the tracks. Acting swiftly, he applied the emergency brakes but the engine's safety guard collided with the large stone, causing it to break into pieces. Fortunately, the train remained on the tracks, and no injuries were reported. The driver immediately informed officials at Manjhi station and after a safety check, the train proceeded towards Chhapra.
Authorities, including teams from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) in Ballia and Chhapra, along with the RPF Crime Branch and local police officers, launched an investigation at the scene. While it remains unclear how large the stone was, police reported finding scrape marks on the track where the engine had hit the obstruction.
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The area surrounding the site has been inhabited by flood victims seeking shelter, raising questions about whether the incident was an act of mischief or part of a more major plot. An official FIR was yet to be filed.
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A similar incident was reported near the Jivnathpur Railway Station in Mirzapur district earlier in the day. At approximately 5 am, the driver of a goods train en route to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Junction noticed a fire extinguisher lying between the tracks. The driver acted quickly, applying the emergency brakes and stopping the train. The fire extinguisher was retrieved by the RPF team, and the train was able to continue its journey.