Gujarat: Two arrested for bid to derail train, loot passengers

Botad (Gujarat) [India], October 1 (ANI): Gujarat Police have arrested two people for trying to derail a passenger train by placing an iron slab on the tracks in Botad district.
The incident occurred on September 25 near Kundli village.
Botad Superintendent of Police, Kishor Baloliya said that the accused planned to loot the passengers.
"On September 25, an attempt was made to derail a passenger train by placing a piece of iron between the railway tracks near Kundli village. As it is a very serious offence Botad district police, Railway Protection Force, ATS and various agencies of the Center carried out the investigation. Two accused in this incident, Ramesh and Jayesh have been arrested. They had conspired to loot money and other belongings of the passengers after the train would have derailed in the nearby fields. Further investigation is underway," SP Baloliya said.
Meanwhile, three railway employees were arrested for allegedly conspiring to derail a train near Kim railway station by removing fishplates and keys from a railway track on September 24.
According to Western Railway, Vadodara Division unidentified people opened the fishplate and some keys from the UP line track and put them on the same track near the Kim railway station. However, service was soon restored.
Notably, average train derailments have reduced to 0.24 per day in 2023-24 as compared an average of 1.2 per day from 2004 to 2014, according to Central Railway.
"From 2004 to 2014, every year, approximately 445 derailments occurred, the statement from the Central Railway said. Out of them, 171 were on the main line and 274 happened in the yards. This comes to approximately 1.2 derailments per day. The same figure has been reduced to 89 in 2023-24. Out of this, 40 derailments had occurred on the main line, while 49 occurred in the yards. The average derailment per day comes to around 0.24 per day," a press release from Central Railway stated.
In 2024, till now a total of 43 derailments have happened out of which 20 have happened on the main line and 23 in various yards. The average comes to 0.24 per day. (ANI)