Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, May 20: Indian Railways on Wednesday claimed that a series of recent train fire incidents across the country appeared to be acts of sabotage and said preliminary investigations pointed towards the involvement of “anti-social elements”.
In a statement, the Ministry of Railways said an inquiry into the latest fire incident involving the Mithila Express at Howrah station led to the recovery of a half-burnt cloth allegedly soaked in petrol from inside a coach.
“Railway staff acted promptly and brought the situation under immediate control, thereby averting a major disaster,” the statement said.
The ministry said the initial findings in several recent incidents suggested attempts to create panic and disrupt passenger safety within the railway network.
“The preliminary circumstances suggest that certain anti-social elements are attempting to jeopardise passenger safety and sow fear and disorder within the railway system. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) and relevant agencies are conducting serious investigations into all these matters,” the Railways said.
The ministry referred to four separate incidents reported from Amarpura, Kota, Sasaram and Howrah, stating that all cases were being treated seriously and were under detailed investigation by the RPF.
According to officials, bedding material was allegedly set on fire in the Amarpura incident, while in Howrah a petrol-soaked cloth was recovered from a coach washroom.
In Kota, flames were reportedly noticed emerging from the washroom section of a Rajdhani Express coach, while in Sasaram an unidentified person allegedly threw a burning object into an unoccupied coach.
Railways appealed to passengers to remain alert and immediately report any suspicious activity through Railway Helpline number 139.
The statement comes days after a major fire broke out in the B-1 air-conditioned coach of a Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express in Madhya Pradesh’s Ratlam district. Officials said the incident occurred between Vikramgarh Alot and Luni Richha stations at around 5.15 am.
The coach, carrying 68 passengers, was detached in time and no injuries were reported. Visuals from the scene showed thick black smoke billowing from the coach, while nearby vegetation along the railway tracks had also caught fire.
The incident disrupted rail traffic on the route, affecting the schedules of nearly 18 trains, officials said.