Prayagraj (Allahabad) – The Mahabodhi Express, traveling from New Delhi to Gaya (Bihar), was attacked by stone pelters near Prayagraj on Monday night, leaving several passengers injured. The train was stopped at Mirzapur station for medical attention to the injured passengers. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has detained three suspects in connection with the incident.
The incident occurred when Mahabodhi Express arrived at Prayagraj Junction at 8:33 PM and departed at 9:06 PM. Around 9:16 PM, just before the Yamuna Bridge, the train came under heavy stone pelting, with about 50 to 60 stones thrown at it. Some stones broke the windows of the S-3 coach, entering the compartment and hitting passengers.
Upon receiving the information, the loco pilot stopped the train, and the RPF team arrived at the scene, but by that time, the train had already resumed its journey.
Recent Incident of Train Derailment Plot in Kanpur
Just two days before, on Sunday, there was an attempt to derail a train near Kanpur. A small cylinder was found placed on the tracks near Prempur station. Fortunately, the driver spotted it in time and applied the emergency brakes, stopping the goods train just 10 feet from the cylinder. The incident occurred at 5:50 AM, about 35 km from Kanpur, on the Delhi-Howrah route between Kanpur and Prayagraj.
The goods train, which was traveling from Kanpur to Prayagraj, had a scheduled stop at Prempur, and its speed was already slow. When the loco pilot saw the cylinder on the tracks, he immediately halted the train. Upon inspection, it was found that a 5-kg gas cylinder had been placed dangerously close to the tracks. The driver informed senior railway officials, causing alarm within the railway department.
Close Call for Jammu Mail on the Same Route
On the same route, the Jammu Mail narrowly avoided a major accident. While the train was traveling from Kanpur to Prayagraj, a bolt in one of the bogie’s wheel shock absorbers came loose near Prempur station. Fortunately, a vigilant track monitor noticed it in time, preventing a potential disaster.
Fifth Train Sabotage Attempt in 38 Days
This was the fifth train sabotage attempt in Uttar Pradesh within 38 days. On September 8, an attempt was made to derail the Kalindi Express by placing a gas cylinder on the Kachganj route near Kanpur. Petrol and explosives were also found in bottles near the tracks.