Bid to sabotage Army train in Madhya Pradesh thwarted; detonator planted between railway tracks

After similar incidents in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, a new conspiracy to sabotage a train has emerged in Madhya Pradesh. In Burhanpur, a detonator was planted between railway tracks, aimed at derailing a train. The incident came to light when an army special train was approaching the targeted area. Fortunately, the alertness and quick thinking of the train's driver prevented a potential disaster. Investigative agencies are  probing the matter following the incident.

Detonator Placed on Tracks in Burhanpur

The conspiracy unfolded near Sagphata station in the Bhusawal division of Central Railway, where a detonator was placed between railway pillars numbered 537/5 and 537/3. The army's special train was scheduled to pass through this section, and as it approached, the detonator triggered explosions. However, the train's loco pilot acted swiftly, bringing the train to a halt just ahead of the danger zone and immediately notifying the station master. After a brief pause of five minutes, the train resumed its journey towards Bhusawal.

Army Train was going from Kashmir to Karnataka

The incident had occurred on September 18 at 1:48 PM when an army special train, traveling from Jammu and Kashmir to Karnataka, was en route through Sagphata station. Saboteurs placed ten detonators on the track with the intention of causing significant damage. Given the train's military significance, investigative agencies, including national security bodies, immediately jumped into action to uncover the culprits and prevent future incidents of this nature.

Officials Spring into Action

Following the incident, a thorough inspection of the area was carried out by senior police and railway officials. The DSP of the Special Branch, the SDOP of Nepanagar, the station in-charge, and other senior officials visited the site on the afternoon of September 18 to assess the situation. Later in the evening, officials from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrived to further analyze the evidence and discuss the possible motives behind the attack.

Similar Incident in Kanpur: Cylinder Found on Tracks

The incident in Madhya Pradesh bears a chilling resemblance to a recent conspiracy in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. On the Kanpur-Prayagraj railway section, a gas cylinder was discovered lying on the tracks near Prempur station. On Sunday morning, at 6:09 AM, the loco pilot of the JTTN goods train noticed the cylinder and applied emergency brakes, stopping the train just in time. The sighting of the cylinder on the tracks caused panic among railway officials, prompting an urgent response.

The Kanpur incident, much like the one in Burhanpur, underscores a worrying trend of train sabotage attempts across different states. These actions could be part of a larger, more organized attempt to disrupt critical infrastructure, especially targeting military or strategically important trains.

As both incidents are under investigation, authorities are looking for connections between these acts of sabotage. The similarities in the methods used—placing foreign objects or explosives on the tracks—suggest that a coordinated effort may be in place to disrupt rail services.