Express train hits concrete slab placed deliberately on track, delayed by half hour

“Each concrete slab weighs around 290 kg and requires a group of people to carry on the track. The case is of suspected sabotage. We have sought the help of Bharuch district police in investigation,” senior divisional security commissioner, Western Railway, Kamal Joth said.

A case has been registered with the Government Railway Police under sections 150, 151 and 152 of the Railways Act and other sections of the Indian Penal Code for attempt to wreak a train, among others. Other sections of the Indian Penal Code has also been added to the case filed by the GRP. Investigation has been launched with the help of the Bharuch Police. Joth said there has been an increase in such attempts in the last one year.

The concrete slab used in this case is the one that is placed on the side of the railway track to make space for push trolleys that are used to inspect railway track. The space is created to take the trolleys on the side of the track in the event of the arrival of a train on the track. A similar incident had taken place recently at Samlaya in Vadodara district. The miscreants had carried a concrete slab lying on the side and laid it on the track. The train had suffered damage to its cattle guard.