Railways claims sabotage behind train fires, blames anti-social elements

Following a series of train fire incidents, Indian Railways stated on Wednesday that the blazes were not accidental but rather the result of deliberate sabotage by anti-social elements.

After conducting rigorous probes into several incidents, the national carrier revealed that evidence of sabotage has been found in multiple places. For instance, near Amarpura station in Rajasthan, an individual reportedly attempted to set train linen on fire, which subsequently triggered a blaze.

In a separate incident in Howrah, a cloth soaked in petrol was recovered from a train bathroom, pointing to a clear case of arson. On May 19, a fire broke out on the Mithila-bound Howrah-Raxaul Express, where a thick layer of smoke was spotted in the bathroom of the general compartment. As a result, panic gripped the passengers who started leaving the compartment in a rush.

Investigators also noted a similar pattern in Kota, where the initial flames aboard a Rajdhani Express train were also traced back to the lavatory. On May 17, a massive fire broke out in the Thiruvananthapuram-Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express in Madhya Pradesh’s Ratlam district. The coach that was carrying as many as 68 passengers was evacuated within 15 minutes, and there were no casualties reported.

According to railway officials, the blaze was reported around 5.15 am in the B-1 coach of train number 12431, which was travelling from Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi.

Underscoring its commitment to passenger safety, Railways further stated, "Passengers are requested to stay alert and stay safe. If you notice any suspicious activity, please call 139 immediately."

Meanwhile, a fire that broke out in empty coaches at Sasaram station—where no power generators were active—is highly suspected to have been caused by someone throwing a burning object into the vacant compartment.