New Delhi-Howrah Rajdhani engine derails, sabotage suspected

KOLKATA - Passengers aboard the New Delhi-Howrah Rajdhani Express had a narrow escape Monday when two front wheels of the train’s engine derailed in West Bengal’s Hooghly district. An Eastern Railway spokesperson said sabotage could not be ruled out.

No casualties were reported.

“Two front wheels of the engine derailed around 9.25 a.m. near Baruipara station, about 27 km from Howrah. None of the coaches derailed,” said Eastern Railway chief public relations officer (CPRO) Samir Goswami.

Quoting preliminary information, Goswami said: “Three hundred pandrol clips (used to fix the rail firmly to the sleeper) were found removed. We suspect these were removed before the train passed the stretch. However, only a probe can confirm our suspicion”.

“So, sabotage cannot be ruled out at least at this moment,” he said.

A relief train and an empty EMU (electrical multiple unit) train have been sent to the spot on the Howrah-Burdwan cord line of Eastern Railway to bring the stranded passengers to Howrah.

West Bengal has witnessed two major train disasters since May.

On July 19, 63 train passengers died after the Sealdah-bound Uttar Banga Express rammed into the stationary Vananchal Express at Sainthia station in Birbhum district.

The Sainthia mishap occurred 52 days after the Gyaneshwari Express tragedy on May 28, in which 148 people died as Maoist guerillas cut open the pandrol clips near Jhargram in West Midnapore district.

After the Mumbai-bound Gyaneshwari derailed, a freight train approaching from the opposite direction rammed into five derailed coaches, resulting in the high casualties.