Three local men—Yar Mohammad Sheikh, Rahul Sheikh, and Najmi Sheikh—were arrested in Pakur district, Jharkhand, for attempting to sabotage railway tracks and derail passenger trains like the Vananchal Express. The incident took place on January 10 near Kumarpur village, close to the Bangladesh border.
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| 3 Muslim Men Arrested |
| The trio placed heavy iron blocks (around 1.6 meters long, weighing up to 90 kg in some reports) across the tracks as revenge. Just days earlier, on January 6, they had failed in an attempt to steal coal from a freight train at Tilbhita station, leading to the arrest of an associate. Angered by this, they targeted train safety in retaliation. |
Major train tragedy averted in Jharkhand.
— Roots of History™ (@RootsofHistory) January 14, 2026
Najmi Sheikh’s gang allegedly kept 80 kg iron blocks on tracks near Pakur to derail Vananchal Express.
Alert goods train loco pilot spotted it, used emergency brakes, disaster avoided.
Najmi arrested. pic.twitter.com/UT65X4tBlB
A quick-thinking goods train driver spotted the obstruction in time, applied emergency brakes, and stopped the train safely—averting what could have been a major disaster with many lives at risk.
The Government Railway Police (GRP) arrested the suspects and booked them under relevant sections of the Railways Act for endangering passenger safety. Officials have praised the driver's alertness that prevented a tragedy in this border-sensitive area.
Such acts highlight ongoing challenges with petty crime turning dangerous near railway lines. Authorities are conducting further raids and increasing vigilance in the region.
