Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 26: Two trains caught fire under mysterious circumstances at Washing Line and Central Line of Jammu Railway Station this afternoon prompting the Railways authorities to order an inquiry even as Railways Protection Force (RPF) nabbed a suspect from one of the burning train and didn’t rule out the possibility of the terrorist act behind the two fire incidents.
Trains leaving Jammu Railway Station were delayed by an hour to two hours this evening as several fire tenders fought to control the flames after removing other bogeys from the two trains.
The trains that caught fire included Jammu-New Delhi Shalimar Express and Jammu-Ahmedabad Superfast Express. Shalimar Express left for New Delhi with a delay of more than two hours after two burnt coaches were replaced by additional coaches that reached here from Pathankote while Superfast Express would leave at 11.15 am tomorrow on time after replacement of the burnt coaches.
Official sources said a major blaze was first noticed in S7 coach of Shalimar Express at Washing Line at 3.20 pm. The Railways staff immediately sounded an emergency and requisitioned fire tenders.
The Railways staff, meanwhile, separated all other bogeys from the burning train to prevent the fire from spreading. However, one AC coach of the train also caught fire before five fire tenders fighting for about an hour controlled it.
As senior Railways and police officers including Divisional Traffic Manager (DTM) Ram Nath Meena, SSP Railways Shiv Kumar Sharma and SHO Surinder Singh Samyal rushed to the spot, another train, Jammu-Ahmedabad Express stationed at Central Line between Platform Nos. 1 and 2 also caught fire.
Fire was notices in sleeper coach No. S6 of Swaraj Express at 5 pm, just one and a half hours after it had reached here from Ahmedabad and was about to proceed to Washing Line. It also spread to coach No. S5 even as the driver sped away the train to Washing Line and averted a major tragedy.
Bogies of Jammu-Ahmedabad Express were also de-linked to prevent spread of fire. Nine fire tenders fought for an hour to control the blaze.
Sources said Jammu-Anand Vihar train was stationed at Platform No. 1 when Superfast Express caught fire. However, an alert driver took the train away to Washing Line preventing the fire from spreading to another train.
Road traffic on Railway road under Washing Line was also stopped to avert any tragedy. Sources said the Railways staff acted promptly to minimize the damage.
In the meanwhile, RPF sleuths nabbed a suspect Ajay Kumar son of Rajinder Kumar, a resident of Nangloi, New Delhi. Some passengers said they had spotted the youth in Superfast Express before it caught fire. The cops were questioning him but he hasn’t been formally arrested.
The youth, however, said he had come here to appear in the exams and had nothing to do with the fire. However, police said, he would be questioned to ascertain his motive in visiting Jammu and moving around the burning train.
Railways authorities suspected foul play behind the two major fire incidents in the trains within a span of two hours and didn’t rule out the involvement of militants or sabotage though they said an inquiry ordered into the incidents would also check technical faults.
Police pressed sniffer dogs into service but they led the cops to nowhere. A team of Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) also examined the spot.
All outgoing trains were delayed by an hour to two hours due to the fire incidents. Shalimar Express left for New Delhi by a delay of more than two hours as two burnt coaches were replaced. The coaches were brought from Pathankot.
However, Superfast Express would leave Jammu on time at 11.15 am tomorrow as its coaches would be replaced tonight. Two new replacement of coaches for Swaraj Express also reached Jammu tonight.
General Manager of Northern Railways, VK Gupta is reaching here tomorrow for assessment of the situation. Sources said the Railways would take steps to ensure safety of the passengers by preventing fire incidents though the fire took place in the empty trains.
Police have intensified searches all along the Railway Station at Jammu and also alerted its teams at Samba and Kathua to check entry of undesirable elements. However, no formal arrest has been made so far.
Police said in 2011 also, two trains, Himgiri Express and Jhelum Express had also caught fire at Jammu Railway Station under similar circumstances.
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