Stone-pelters back on Mangaluru route
22 incidents reported in past four years.
KOZHIKODE: The stretch between Kannur and Mangaluru is becoming notorious for stone pelting on running trains. A staggering 22 such incidents were reported in the past four years and a culprit booked in a single case only. Similar incidents were reported at Kallai, Parappanangadi, Tirur and along the Palakkad stretch. The latest is on the Gandhidham-Nagercoil express (16335) at Cheruvathur on October 7 and on Mangaluru-Coimbatore Intercity express (22609) at Payangadi on the same day. Commuters suffered injuries in both the incidents. In 2017 alone, six cases occurred in the region.
“It is not easy to nab the culprits who throw stones from the hilltop and run away. As per intelligence inputs, teenage children who play at grounds adjacent to the tracks throw stones,” said Palakkad additional divisional railway manager (ADRM) T. Rajkumar. Pallikkara gram panchayat in Kasargod has embarked upon an awareness mission against stone pelting at the behest of railway officials. “It was found that an insane man was behind the incident at Bekal,” said Pallikkara gram panchayat President P. Indira.
The Special branch wing of railway police has ruled out sabotage or involvement of fundamental outfits in the stone throwing. “There is nothing to prove that. Adolescents take it as an adventure to throw stones at a running train. Boozers who openly drink near tracks after sunset also are involved in such cases,” said a special branch officer, who requested anonymity. Last year, incidents of removing elastic rail (ER) clips, laying iron rod and granite stones on the track were reported from the same stretch. In May 2015, police had arrested three students for trying to put a granite stone on the railway track at Uppala.