Hardoi (Uttar Pradesh), May 20 (IANS) A major attempt to derail two express trains, including the Rajdhani Express, was foiled in Uttar Pradesh’s Hardoi district thanks to the alertness and quick response of the loco pilots, officials said on Tuesday.

The first incident occurred on the evening of May 19 between Dalel Nagar and Umrauli stations when the loco pilot of the New Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express noticed an unusual obstruction on the track.

Authorities said miscreants had tied a wooden block — described as a gutkha — to the earthing wire on the down line. The pilot immediately applied the brakes, bringing the train to a halt and averting a potential disaster.

Railway personnel promptly removed the obstruction and informed senior railway officials. However, even before the situation could fully stabilise, miscreants struck again.

Shortly after the Rajdhani Express had passed safely, a second attempt was made to derail the Kathgodam Express on the same stretch. This attempt too was thwarted by the vigilance of its loco pilot, who spotted the obstruction — this time reportedly comprising iron pieces and wood — and stopped the train in time.

Upon receiving information, personnel from the Government Railway Police (GRP), Railway Protection Force (RPF), and local police reached the site and launched an investigation.

Circle Officer (CO) of Baghauli, Praveen Kumar, said the GRP had alerted Kachhauna police station about suspicious activity on the tracks between Kachhauna and Sandila. Acting on the tip-off, teams from both police stations, along with senior officials, conducted an inspection of the site.

Following directives from higher authorities, a joint investigation team was constituted to probe the incident.

This is not the first such attempt in the region. In recent weeks, there have been multiple incidents in Hardoi where unidentified miscreants tried to sabotage rail operations.

In one instance, iron bolts were found placed on tracks near the outer signal of Hardoi railway station.

In another incident, a thick wooden block was discovered on the line near Dilawar Nagar. In both cases, timely detection prevented any mishap.

Despite repeated efforts, police have yet to make any arrests in connection with these sabotage attempts.

–IANS

skp/