AHMEDABAD: Days after miscreants tampered with a railway track between Surat and Kim railway track by removing 71 rail safety clips, and two fish plates, the Surat Police on Monday detained three people, including two railway employees, for their alleged involvement in the incident.
According to primary information, the apparent sabotage was stage-managed by the railway employees to demonstrate their alertness in avoiding major train accidents and gaining promotions. The complainant, Railway employee Subhash Podar, is now being questioned by the railway, Surat police, and National Investigation Agency (NIA) officers.
Hitesh Joysa, Superintendent of Police, Surat, said that following the incident, the district police formed several teams to investigate the incident. From the moment they had received the complaint, they suspected the involvement of an insider as 71 rail safety clips and two fish plates were removed within a span of just 20 minutes, which only a person with technical knowledge and experience can do in such a short span.
Police were able to locate a gangman, who had seen the suspicious activity, but since he was at a distance, he could not identify the miscreants. Police told a media person that a gangman had the seen activity on the track. When he switched on the torch light from his post to ascertain whether the person was from railways or not -- as they communicate through torch light - the miscreants vanished.
Two days ago, Railway employee, Subhash Podar claimed to have averted a major accident between Kosamba and Kim around 5.25 am, when he found fish plates being put on the railway track and even some rail clips lying on the tracks.
Now, the police have reasons to believe that Podar, along with two persons, had committed the offence, the sources said. During primary questioning, the alleged accused, Podar, confessed to having removed the fish plates and rail clips with others and then created a drama of alertness and avoiding an accident, hoping to get publicity and reward.