Nilphamari locals foil attempt to tamper with rail lines

A major rail disaster was averted in Nilphamari when locals chased away a group of criminals tampering with railway tracks.

The inter-city Simanta Express was saved from a dangerous derailment in Nilphamari's Hiralal Railghunti area around 10 pm on Wednesday, said Domar Upazila executive officer Md Nazmul Alam.

As many as 72 fishplates – a flat piece of metal connecting rail tracks - have been recovered from a sack left at the scene after locals chased the saboteurs away.

Another train scheduled to run along the same route, was also saved due to the efforts of the locals.

Aminul Islam Ripon, the chairman of Boragari Union Parishad, told reporters, "At night, the locals heard the sound of fishplates being removed near the railway tracks. They saw a group of criminals uprooting the plates from the rail line."

"They tried to catch the criminals, but they got away," he added.

Shakhawat Hossain Babu, the chairman of Jorabari Union Parishad, said if the train had derailed, it could have resulted in significant casualties.

According to Nazmul Alam, the police and railway intelligence department are investigating the matter to identify the criminals.

The Simanta Express train left the Domar station one and a half hours after the incident. However, the Barendra Express from Rajshahi was delayed at the station for some time.

Railway officials told reporters, "Currently, train service is resuming as normal."

Seven coaches of the Mohanganj Express and its engine derailed at around 4 am on Wednesday as saboteurs tampered with the tracks in Gazipur.

A passenger was killed in the incident, and several people, including the train master, were seriously injured.