Indian Railways on Wednesday claimed that a series of recent train fire incidents reported across the country appeared to be acts of sabotage, stating that preliminary investigations pointed towards the possible involvement of "anti-social elements."
The statement comes amid multiple recent incidents of train coaches catching fire in different parts of the country. Fire incidents were reported from Amarpura, Kota, Sasaram and Howrah.
'Anti-social elements involved': Indian Railways
In an official statement, the Ministry of Railways said that an inquiry into the latest fire incident involving the Mithila Express at Howrah railway station led to the recovery of a half-burnt cloth allegedly soaked in petrol from inside one of the coaches.
"Following a report of a fire in a coach of the Mithila Express while it was stationed at Howrah, an investigation was conducted which led to the recovery of a half-burnt piece of cloth soaked in petrol. Railway staff demonstrated promptness and brought the situation under immediate control, thereby averting a major disaster," the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said the initial findings in several recent incidents suggested attempts to create panic and disrupt passenger safety within the railway network. "The preliminary circumstances suggest that certain anti-social elements are attempting to jeopardise passenger safety and sow fear and disorder within the railway system. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) and relevant agencies are conducting serious investigations into all these matters," it added.
Petrol-soaked cloth found in restroom
The fire incident in the Thiruvananthapuram–Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express on May 17 was allegedly part of a conspiracy to set the moving train on fire, according to the Railways. Officials said the first flames in the Rajdhani Express were noticed emerging from the bathroom area of the coach. The incident took place on Sunday morning in Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam district when a major fire broke out between Luni Richha and Vikramgarh Alot stations in the Kota division at around 5:30 am. The fire was reported nearly 110 km from Ratlam and originated in coach B1, located towards the front section of the train.
In another incident, a petrol-soaked cloth was allegedly recovered from the bathroom of the Howrah-Raxaul Mithila Express after a fire broke out on the train at Howrah railway station on Tuesday (May 19).
In the Amarpura incident, a bedding material was allegedly set on fire near Amarapura station in Rajasthan, while in Sasaram, an unidentified person allegedly threw a burning object into an unoccupied coach.
Railways appealed to passengers to remain alert and immediately report any suspicious activity through the Railway Helpline number 139.
Also Read: Sasaram-Patna passenger train catches fire, triggers panic among passengers | Video
Also Read: Massive fire breaks out in Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express in Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam | Video
