Chhattisgarh: Engine of evacuated train derails after Naxals uproot tracks
The engine of an empty rake of the Visakhapatnam-Kirandul passenger train derailed after Naxals uprooted railway tracks near Kamaloor railway station in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district, police said. No casualties have been reported in the incident, they said. The incident took place at around 10:50 pm yesterday when the Kirandul-bound passenger train, which was stopped mid-way in Kamaloor, was on its way back to Dantewada.
Train was not supposed to go beyond Kamaloor station
The train was evacuated at Kamaloor station in view of Naxalite arson in one of the areas falling in the route. Earlier yesterday, Naxals set ablaze two passenger buses and a truck after asking occupants of the vehicles to get down in Bhansi area. Subsequently, it was decided not to run the Visakhapatnam-Kirandul passenger train beyond Kamaloor as the route passes through Bhansi area.
Loco pilot, guard escaped and reached Dantewada safely
As the train reached Kamaloor, located around 450km away from Raipur, the passengers were asked to deboard, following which the empty train was being taken back to Dantewada. Barely 2km away from Kamaloor, the train engine derailed as the tracks were damaged. The loco-pilot and the guard escaped unharmed as the speed of the train was considerably low. They had safely reached to Dantewada.
Police was expecting the move in response to Aug-6 encounter
"It will take time to restore train services as it was raining heavily in the area and the spot is located deep inside forest area," Dantewada Superintendent of Police, Abhishek Pallava, said. The police were anticipating this kind of reaction from the Naxals in response to the death of their 14 cadres in the August 6 encounter in neighboring Sukma district, he added.
