Gas cylinder on UP railway track triggers alarm; Train driver applies emergency brakes, averts mishap

KANPUR: A major tragedy was averted when the driver of the Kalindi Express train on its way to Bhiwani in Haryana applied emergency brakes and brought the vehicle to a stop after spotting a gas cylinder placed on a railway track in Uttar Pradesh. 

The train was travelling from Prayagraj to Bhiwani in Haryana when the incident happened at nearly 8 pm near the crossing of Munderi village near Kanpur between Barrajpur and Bilhaur stations.

According to Assistant Commissioner of Police Harish Chander, the train driver spotted the cylinder around 8:30 pm and immediately applied emergency brakes. "The cylinder rolled off to the side, and the train halted," Chander said.

The Railway Protection Force (RPF) was alerted and conducted an initial investigation of the site before informing local police. "A damaged cylinder and other objectionable materials were found at the site," Chander added. Senior officials, along with forensic teams, are on the ground to investigate the incident further.

"All angles are being probed, and a detailed investigation is underway," Chander said. The obstruction has been cleared, and train services have resumed. Authorities are trying to understand the motive behind the incident, ensuring safety measures are in place across the area.