A minor blast damaged a portion of a railway track near Sirhind station in Fatehgarh Sahib district of Punjab and injured the loco pilot of a freight train. The train engine also suffered minor damage, police said on Saturday.
The incident occurred around 9.50 pm on Friday when the freight train was passing through Khanpur village, located about 4–5 kilometres from Sirhind station, as per an official of the Government Railway Police.
The track where the incident occurred is exclusively used for freight train movement, the official said. Deputy Inspector General of Police (Ropar Range) Nanak Singh, who visited the spot, said they received information about a minor blast late Friday night. He said multiple investigation teams had reached the site and that inter-agency coordination was underway. He added that specialised teams from other agencies had also been deployed.
The DIG said there was no loss of life and no major damage to property due to the blast. “The loco pilot sustained a minor cut on his cheek and is out of danger,” Singh said. He added that the train engine suffered no major damage.
Singh further said the railway track was not badly damaged and would be restored soon to resume train movement. He assured that those responsible for the suspected sabotage would be identified and arrested.
When asked about the nature of the blast, Singh said the probe was still at an initial stage and it would be premature to draw conclusions. He described the incident as a “minor blast” and a criminal act carried out by miscreants.
Responding to a question on whether there was a terror angle, the DIG said it was too early to comment. Who did it, why it was done and what was the motive would be known as the investigation progresses," he said, adding, "We will soon trace and arrest those who are behind it."
Meanwhile, the blast led to panic in nearby Khanpur village.
A local resident said he heard the explosion on Friday night. “It was a loud sound that could be heard across the village,” he said.
A case has been registered under Section 150 of the Railways Act, which deals with maliciously wrecking or attempting to wreck a train, a Government Railway Police official said.
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