Alert railway staffers detect pandrol clips missing, avert tragedy
LUCKNOW: The timely detection of at least 71 missing pandrol clips of a railway track between Badshah Nagar and Daliganj stations in Lucknow early on Sunday, shortly before an express train was scheduled to cross, averted a major tragedy.
Circle officer of government railway police (GRP), Lucknow, Amita Singh said two railway patrol men, Shiv Shankar and Sanjay, discovered that the clips were missing at around 4.25 am, only few minutes before the Kaifiyat Express, train heading to Azamgarh from Delhi, was to cross the stretch.
Railway authorities have lodged an FIR at Mahanagar police station against unidentified persons for removing the pandrol clips, used in holding together railway tracks and concrete sleepers on which the track is laid. The UP police has roped in the state’s ATS for the investigation on suspicion of a terror links.
“The timely detection of the missing pandrol clips by the alert employees averted a major incident. The Kaifiyat Express moves with good speed and its movement on the track would have led to a major accident,” Singh said.
As per North Eastern Railway, train movement was resumed at 5.30 am after one hour of interruption to repair the damage.Four trains were stopped at Lucknow outer during the period.
Inspector general of police, ATS, Asim Arun said although the initial probe did not suggested any terror link, this possibility could not be ruled out in the case.
Later in the day, general manager of North Eastern Railway Rajiv Agarwal visited the spot and gave cash reward to the two railway employees.