In a troubling incident late on Tuesday night, an attempt was made to derail the Okha-Bhavnagar passenger train near Kundli village in Botad district, Gujarat. The train came to a halt after colliding with a piece of iron approximately four feet long that had been placed on the tracks. The train's engine stopped functioning following the impact, leaving it stranded for nearly three hours. A second engine was later dispatched to assist in resuming the journey.
Railway officials, along with the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Ranpur police, arrived at the scene shortly after the incident to initiate an investigation. The Okha-Bhavnagar 19210 passenger train was travelling approximately 2 kilometres from Kundli village when the incident occurred. Several sleepers on the railway track were damaged due to the collision, and they will need to be replaced. As a result of this incident, train services on this route have been disrupted.
The incident comes just four days after a failed derailment attempt reported near Kim railway station in Surat, in which three railway staff members were arrested by the police.
Authorities are currently working to assess the situation and ensure the safety of rail operations in the area. Further updates will be provided as the investigation continues.
(Inputs from Anamika)