KOKRAJHAR,Aug 1 � Train services through Kokrajhar district were badly disrupted today due to two acts of sabotage by miscreants on the railway tracks in the district.
According to sources around 5 am today a railway patrolling party detected a 1.5-metre-long railway track near railway bridge pillar no-228/1 between Salakati and Kokrajhar railway station that had been removed by miscreants. The miscreants had used gas cutter to cut the track. As a result movement of down trains was totally stopped. Significantly the Rajdhani Express and many other trains were controlled from New Bongaigaon and Rangiya railway junctions.
On the other hand, a Guwahati-bound goods train derailed at Chachapani near Paroura village between Fakiragram and Kokrajhar railway stations around 7.20 am. Altogether eleven bogies loaded with salt derailed from the track.
In this incident also the primary investigation indicated that railway tracks measuring about two metres were found removed. In this incident too the miscreants had used gas cutter to cut the railway track.
Due to the two incidents both up and down train services remain disrupted till 3 o�clock in the afternoon. Railway sources however revealed that by 3 o�clock the damaged portion near railway bridge pillar no-228/1 between Salakati and Kokrajhar railway stations had been reconstructed and down train services restored. But it would take around 36 hours to restore train services in another track of the double lines at Chachapani near Paroura village between Fakiragram and Kokrajhar railway stations following restoration work on the damaged portion.
Meanwhile, high railway and police officials rushed to the two spots to take stock of the situation and ensure rapid reconstruction and restoration work for early restoration of train services along the area.
Police suspect that the NDFB is behind both the incidents. BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary also visited the spot at Chachapani to take stock of the situation. He expressed concern at the acts of sabotage and said that it was unfortunate if NDFB was behind the incidents.
It may be mentioned here that the NDFB has called a 48-hour railway and national highway bandh in Assam from 5 am today demanding immediate solution of the Bodo tangle.
Train cancelled: Due to security reasons in parts of Assam and following cancellations of the UP trains due to the accident near Malda and goods train derailment near Kokrajhar, several trains have been cancelled, an NFR press release stated. Passengers travelling on August 2 may enquire about the train schedule with the railway authorities, our Staff Reporter adds in Guwahati.
