A subsequent operation by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad saw the gunning down of an alleged operative—Saifullah—in Lucknow on March 7.
The Railway Ministry has said that between January and February this year, the tracks have seen 40 cases of sabotage against a total of 45 such incidents in 2016. The ministry said that three incidents were being investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and one incident by the Central Bureau of Investigation. The latest was the explosion on the Bhopal-Ujjain passenger train on March 6 near Jabri in Madhya Pradesh in which eight people were injured. A subsequent operation by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad saw the gunning down of an alleged operative—Saifullah—in Lucknow on March 7.
Speaking to DNA, Railway Protection Force Director-General SK Bhagat, however, played down the alarm. " The rise in numbers is also because now the level of attention to such incidents is at its highest. Even the smallest of incidents is being reported and both state and railway teams get down to investigating them. I think that is the silver lining," said Bhagat.
He said that a mechanism had been activated wherein the respective Railway Protection Force units of the various railway zones, the state railway and district police and central investigating agencies are working jointly to tackle such incidents.
"The Railway minister chaired a meeting of Director-Generals of Police (DGP) of the states by video-conferencing recently. Chief ministers of states have also been sounded out," said Bhagat.
Mumbai, with its a train-a-minute suburban system, is a particular worry, agreed officials said. One of the most worrying of incidents in Mumbai came about on January 24 at around 10.40pm when the driver of 12052 Madgoan-Dadar Janshatabdi Express applied the emergency brakes after he noticed a seven metre–long plank placed on the track.
On February 6, a repeat of the incident occurred near Kalamboli where the driver of a Pune-Santragachi train had to apply emergency brakes to avoid hitting a piece of metal kept on the tracks.
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