A potential railway disaster was narrowly averted when the Kalindi Express, traveling from Prayagraj to Bhiwani, struck a gas cylinder deliberately placed on the tracks near Munderi village in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday night. The incident occurred around 8 p.m. on the Kanpur-Kasganj route between Barrajpur and Bilhaur stations.

Reports indicated that the impact of the collision sent the cylinder flying nearly 50 meters away, but no casualties were reported. According to the authorities, the locomotive pilot noticed the object on the track and applied emergency brakes. The cylinder collided with the train but was pushed aside without causing any significant damage to the train or injuries to passengers.

Following the incident, the train halted for an extended period while the Railway Police Force (RPF), Anti-Terror Squad (ATS), and Government Railway Police (GRP) arrived at the scene to investigate. Senior officials and forensic teams have since been reviewing the situation, with one gas cylinder found in a damaged state and other suspicious materials recovered from the site. Investigations are ongoing to determine the motive behind the obstruction.

Kanpur Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Harish Chander confirmed the incident and assured the public that train services were not disrupted. “The cylinder collided with the train and fell to the side. All senior officers and forensic teams are on site. The investigation is being carried out thoroughly,” Chander said.

Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has been urged to investigate the incident fully. YSRCP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Vijayasai Reddy called for a strict response to prevent similar incidents in the future. “Passenger safety should be the priority of the railways,” he emphasized in a social media post.

This event mirrors other recent attempts to disrupt railway operations across the country. In August, the Sabarmati Express derailed in Kanpur after a sharp object was placed on the tracks. Similar cases have also been reported in Rajasthan. Authorities, including Union Minister Giriraj Singh, have raised concerns that sleeper cells linked to Pakistan-based terrorist groups could be involved in these incidents. The Railways Ministry has launched a comprehensive investigation into these growing trends of railway sabotage.