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Rajdhani accident averted, pilot engine detects track damage

by IBNS 22 Jul 2014, 11:28 pm

Gaya, July 23 (IBNS): A major accident was averted as a pilot engine, running ahead of the New Delhi-Howrah Rajdhani, derailed by all wheels in Bihar owing to a blast on the track that uprooted the rail for about four meters' length.

The track was suspected to be blown up by the Maoists. 

The incident took place near Gaya at around 11 pm on Tuesday night. The railway mishap was averted as the derailed pilot engine timely alerted authorities about the track between Islampur and Rafiganj.

The pilot engine was running an hour before the arrival of Rajdhani as a part of the safety precautions to check if the tracks are fine. It detected the damage.

Maoists had allegedly blown up a part of the track last night as a part of their protest for the death of two people in alleged police firing in Aurangabad district a few days ago.

“There has been no casualty of any type. We could save a major calamity by a very timely action,” Railway Board chairman Arunendra Kumar said.

Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda also sought a detail report on the incident.

Several long-distance trains have been delayed due to the damage on the tracks near Gaya, railway official said.