HYDERABAD: The dacoity in Kacheguda bound Yeshwantpur Express near Divitipally of Mahabubnagar district in the wee hours of Saturday, is not the only signal tampering incident.
A signal tampering incident near Kurnool was reported around three hours before the Mahabubnagar incident, but the attempt was foiled due to the presence of on-board armed escort parties.
Meanwhile, Railway police, who along with Railway Protection Force and Mahabubnagar district police, who are investigating the case with integrated teams, could not achieve any breakthrough in the case.
An official on condition of anonymity said that signal tampering gangs, before the day breaks, approach the nearest road route and escape from the spot.
“If they are not caught before the day breaks, it is a relatively difficult task to nab the suspects.”
He added, “In this case, the nearest road is a national highway. They can board any passing vehicle and escape,” the official said.
According to investigators, the GRP and RPF provide escort to the trains travelling during nights, but as a part of integration, the Yeshwantpur Express was entrusted to RPF. The same train that left Bengaluru on Thursday night and reached
Kacheguda on Friday morning, had an escort party, but the escort was not provided to this service due to shortage of staff. Meanwhile, police officials are on the hunt for the gang from Sholapur, that was arrested in 2017 and is out on bail recently. They have intensified their search operation.
Antecedents of other accused, who were arrested by the railway police for involvement in property offences are also being verified.