‘ATS to assist probe into missing railway track clips’

LUCKNOW: UP director general of police Sulkhan Singh on Monday asked the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) to assist in the probe initiated into pandrol clips gone missing from a railway track before the arrival of an express train here in Lucknow.

Prima facie, in what appeared like a plot to derail trains, 77 pandrol clips used to fasten tracks were found missing from the railway line in Mahanagar area of Lucknow early on Sunday morning. The delayed movement of two trains averted a tragedy.

Later, the two trains — Kaifiyat Express and Gorakhpur-LTT Express — were diverted. This was the second attempt to sabotage rail operations in Uttar Pradesh this year.

In January, a goods train had derailed near Unnao due to missing clips.

The missing clips were detected by railway patrol staff Shiv Shankar and Sanjay, who immediately informed higher authorities.

An FIR was registered in this regard against unidentified persons at Mahanagar police station here.

“The ATS has been asked to assist in the probe,” said IG (ATS) Asim Arun.

According to railway officials, timely detection averted a major accident.

Train movement on the line was stopped for an hour

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Such large number of clips cannot go missing just like that. It seems to be a wellplanned and organised effort...a large number of people are being questioned, but the real culprits are yet to be identified

BINOD KUMAR SINGH, IG, Railways

NO CLUE ABOUT CULPRITS AS YET

Cops are still clueless about those who removed 71 pandrol clips of a railway track between Badshah Nagar and Daliganj railway stations.

IG, Railways, Binod Kumar Singh, on Monday informed that a probe was on, but the culprits were yet to be identified.

He had called a joint meeting of railway officials, civil police and the ATS in connection with the incident.

Divisional railway manager, North Eastern Railway, Vijaylaxmi, was also present.

“Such large number of clips cannot go missing just like that. It seems to be a well-planned and organised effort,” Singh told newsmen after the meeting.

“The investigation is going on. A large number of people are being questioned, but the real culprits are yet to be identified,” added Singh.

Of late, many train mishaps have taken place in UP so cops are not ruling out possibility of sabotage in the missing clips incident.

“After initial investigation, it seems that the clips were deliberately removed,” said Singh.

Agreeing with the IG, Railways, divisional railway manager Vijaylaxmi said: “In my entire career, I have never come across an incident where such large number of pandrol clips went missing.”

“Patrol men do come across incidents of missing clips. But such a large number of clips missing is unusual,” added Vijaylaxmi.

According to the NER, train movement was resumed at 5.30 am on December 3 after an hour of interruption to repair the damage.

Four trains were stopped at Lucknow outer during the period.

Inspector general of police, ATS, Asim Arun stated that though initial probe did not suggest any terror link, its possibility could not be ruled out in the case.

General manager, NER, Rajiv Agarwal had also visited the spot and gave cash reward to the two railway employees who found the clips missing and alerted officials.