Hoshiarpur (Punjab): An accident was averted in the early hours on Tuesday thanks to the prompt response of the railway staff at Tanda Urmur railway station, ensuring the safety of passengers aboard the Hemkunt Express train and preventing a significant delay.
According to SHO, Government Railway Police (GRP), Jalandhar, Inspector Ashok Kumar, around 1:30 am, the Hemkunt Express, en route from Haridwar to Jammu was forced to halt on the outskirts of Tanda Urmur station near Chandigarh Colony due to the signal not turning green on the Jalandhar-Jammu rail route.
The unexpected stop raised safety concerns and hinted at a possible disruption.
Upon noticing that the track points had not changed, the Station Master at Tanda Urmur immediately dispatched a pointsman to inspect the situation. The pointsman discovered that the track had been blocked with stones, and a roughly three-inch-long piece of iron was also found placed on it.
Displaying swift presence of mind, the pointsman cleared the obstruction in about 10 minutes, allowing the Hemkunt Express to resume its journey with only a 15-minute delay.
Officials suspect foul play and termed the act a deliberate attempt to cause disruption. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has initiated proceedings under the Railway Act. Both RPF and GRP have launched a joint investigation from all possible angles to ascertain the motive and identify the miscreants.
Action will be taken based on the outcome of the probe, said Inspector Ashok Kumar.
