Freight Train Engine Derails After Track Blast Near Sirhind, Loco Pilot Injured, Security Agencies On High Alert In Punjab

Chandigarh: An explosion damaged a railway track used for freight trains near Sirhind station in Punjab’s Fatehgarh Sahib district, derailing a goods train’s engine and leaving the loco pilot injured, Friday night.

Alert timing

The incident comes at a time when the security forces are already on high alert across the border state ahead of Republic Day, triggering concerns of a sabotage bid.

The blast took place around 9.50 pm on Friday when the engine of a freight train was passing from near Khanpur village, about 4 km from Sirhind station, damaging the track and affecting a 600-metre stretch, due to which the engine derailed.

Case filed

While the railway authorities which rushed to the spot, to get it repaired and restore the traffic, the police have registered a case against unidentified persons under Section 150 of Railways Act, for maliciously wrecking or attempting to wreck a train.

Police said while the loco pilot has been admitted to the hospital for treatment, the forensic and technical teams are examining evidence collected from the spot.

Stating that security measures have been stepped up in the area, the police said that it would be premature to label the incident as a terror attack while, the same is initially seen as a criminal incident and something could be said with certainty only after the investigation is complete.

Opposition Attacks AAP Govt

Meanwhile, Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring condemned the blast and alleged that this was a clear failure of the AAP government and the police, which have presided over the complete collapse of law and order in the state.

Stating that the Congress has continuously been warning the AAP government against the threat to peace and law and order in the state, he further alleged the use of RDX in the blast suggests that those behind it were up to something big and dangerous.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Badal alleged that the incident is yet another stark indicator of the deteriorating law and order situation in Punjab under the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government. Under this AAP government, Punjab has seen several high-profile attacks using RPGs and similar weapons targeting police and intelligence facilities, he further alleged.

The Punjab BJP working president Ashwani Sharma also alleged that the so-called “model” of CM Bhagwant Mann and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal has become a symbol of an unsafe Punjab, weak security arrangements, and an atmosphere of fear. Referring to the RDX blast near Sirhind railway station, he said that the incident, in which the driver of a goods train was injured and railway property was damaged, has raised serious questions about law and order.