Fish plates removed, bolts loosened on railway track in Surat; police suspect sabotage attempt

Surat: Unidentified persons allegedly tampered with a railway track by removing fish plates and loosening several bolts in an attempt to derail trains in Gujarat’s Surat district on Saturday, police said.

The sabotage attempt came to light before a train could pass through the affected track between Kosamba and Kim railway stations as a lineman detected the damage and alerted the railway authorities in the early hours of the day, officials said.

Unidentified persons removed two fish plates that bolted the ends of two rails on the railway track and placed them on the parallel track, Superintendent of Police, Surat (rural), Hitesh Joysar said.

They also loosened some 40-50 bolts, he said.

Deputy Superintendent of Police RR Sarvaiya said a lineman inspecting the track discovered the tampering around 5.30 am and alerted the railway administration.

“Railway engineers and other staff reached the site and repaired the line, and the movement of trains resumed,” he said.

Sarvaiya said the railway and local police have launched a probe, and a case is being registered.

Inspector PH Jadeja of Kim police station said it was an attempt to derail the train, and an accident was averted due to the alertness of the railway staff.

The train movement resumed once the damage was fixed, he said.