Rod thrust into railway tracks, lucky escape for passengers

VADODARA: Passengers of Mumbai-bound Saurashtra Mail had a lucky escape in early hours on Friday when the train was passing from Vadodara. A 1.5-meter-long iron rod was found shoved in the railway track near Vadodara railway station.
The rod was shoved exactly at the spot where the train changes track. A major accident was averted as the driver heard the sound of train's wheels ramming into the rod and applied emergency brakes.The incident happened about half-a-kilometer from the railway station at 12.55 am.
The train stopped immediately following which the railway authorities and government railway police (GRP) rushed to the spot. "Somebody had deliberately shoved the thick rod that is used to fix railway tracks in the track changer. The rod was put there with the intention of mal-functioning the track changer and not allowing the train to change the track. The driver of the train heard a loud noise following which he stopped the train," said GRP Inspector S K Patel.
The engine and one coach of the train had already passed over the rod. Railway personnel reached the spot and removed the rod from the track. "No damage was reported to the track as well as the train. After thorough examination, the Saurashtra Mail was allowed to leave. The train got delayed by about 40 minutes," Patel told TOI. Interestingly, Bikaner express passed from the same track at 12.32 am.
"The Bikaner Express passed smoothly which means that the rod was shoved in the tracks between 12.32 am and 12.55 am by someone. It seems to be handiwork of someone who knows functioning of the railway tracks. It was an act of damaging the railway property. If in speed, the train could have derailed. We are trying to track down the person who did this," Patel added. GRP has registered a case.