LPG Cylinder Placed on Tracks to Derail Kalindi Express in Kanpur

Kanpur, India: In a shocking incident that could have led to a major disaster, an LPG cylinder was deliberately placed on the railway tracks in Kanpur’s Shivrajpur area, in an attempt to derail the Kalindi Express. The incident occurred on Sunday morning, causing significant disruption to train services.

The train, which was heading towards Bhiwani from Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, collided with the cylinder, causing it to be thrown off the tracks. Upon inspection of the site, police discovered a bottle of petrol, matchboxes, and a suspicious bag containing a gunpowder-like substance, indicating a planned attempt to derail the train.

Following the incident, senior police officials and forensics teams rushed to the scene to investigate the matter. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) is also involved in the investigation.

BREAKING : An attempt was made to derail the Kalindi Express, heading to Bhiwani from Prayagraj, as a cylinder, patrol filled bottled & other explosives found on the rail track near the crossing of Muderi village between Barrajpur and Bilhaur stations on Kanpur-Kasganj route. pic.twitter.com/aqprtYTtKS

— Baba Banaras™ (@RealBababanaras) September 9, 2024

According to Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Harish Chandra, the loco pilot noticed the LPG cylinder on the tracks and immediately applied the emergency brakes. Although the train struck the cylinder, it was successfully pushed off the tracks before the train came to a complete stop.

In connection with the case, Kanpur police have detained six individuals, including two local history sheeters. A Special Investigation Team has been formed to delve deeper into the matter and explore any potential links to the recent Sabarmati Express derailment in Kanpur.

The incident, which occurred around 8.20 pm on Sunday, caused significant delays to train services as the Kalindi Express remained at the scene for approximately 20 minutes before continuing its journey. However, the train was later stopped again at Bilhaur station for further investigation.

The police have secured a DVR from a shop in Chibramau and detained several suspects. According to DCP (west) RK Singh, six teams have been formed to track down the individuals responsible for the incident. The police are also closely monitoring the activities of religious preaching groups in and around the area, as well as investigating any potential connections between the incident and these groups.

This is the third such incident in the past two weeks. On August 17, 22 coaches of the Sabarmati Express derailed after the engine hit an object on the tracks. Just a day later, the Kasganj passenger train collided with a wooden log near Kaimgunj. Two youths were arrested in connection with the latter incident, having placed the log on the tracks while under the influence of alcohol.

The deliberate placement of an LPG cylinder on the railway tracks is a serious crime that could have had devastating consequences. The ongoing investigation aims to bring the perpetrators to justice and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.