11 hours ago
Train mishap averted: Iron frame on track halts Humsafar Exp near Lucknow
LUCKNOW A major train accident was averted near Lucknow in the early hours of Sunday (around 3:40 am) when the Anand Vihar Terminal–Gorakhpur Humsafar Express (12572) struck an iron frame that was allegedly placed on the railway tracks between Dilkusha and Malhaur. The obstruction was spotted by the alert loco pilot of the train, said police. The pilot immediately applied the emergency brakes upon noticing the large structure on the down line, managing to stop the train just in time and saving hundreds of lives on board. (Pic for representation)
Officials suspected the incident to be a case of sabotage, given the unusual nature and size of the object and its deliberate placement on an operational track.
The pilot immediately applied the emergency brakes upon noticing the large structure on the down line, managing to stop the train just in time and saving hundreds of lives on board. The obstruction turned out to be a heavy iron frame resembling a billboard, said Railway officials.
'The hoarding-like board was taken into possession by the Gomti Nagar police in Lucknow and an FIR under sections 151, 153 of the BNS and Railway Act was lodged on Sunday. Authorities are scanning the CCTV footage from the area to trace any suspects or vehicles involved in placing the hoarding,' stated RPF (Lucknow) in a release.
Soon after the train was halted, the loco pilot alerted the engineering control in Lucknow. Teams from the Railway Protection Force (RPF), civil police from the Gomti nagar police station and railway engineers reached the site. The structure was removed safely and a thorough inspection of the track was carried out.
The incident is the latest in a series of alarming incidents where railway tracks in the region have been targeted in suspected attempts to derail trains. The frequency of such cases has raised concerns over passenger safety and possible larger conspiracies.
PAST INCIDENTS
April 2025: A major mishap was averted after the driver of a goods train applied emergency brakes on spotting an iron gate placed on the railway track near Bakkas-Utrethia station. The incident led to multiple arrests.
May 19, 2025: Two sabotage attempts were reported near Dalelnagar and Umar Tali stations in Hardoi district, where wooden logs were placed on the tracks to derail the Delhi–Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express (20504) and Kathgodam Express (15044).
May 29–30, 2025: Ballast was found on the tracks between Bheerpur and Meja Road in Prayagraj, targeting the New Delhi–Bhubaneswar Tejas Rajdhani Express (22824).
May 31, 2025: Loco pilots of the 64021 Delhi–Shamli MEMU train prevented a mishap when they spotted an iron pipe, ballast and broken concrete obstructing the tracks near Shamli station.
