VILLUPPURAM, TN, JUNE 12
A major train tragedy like Gyaneshwari Express derailment was averted when more than 1,500 passengers of the superfast Trichy-Chennai Rockfort Express had a miraculous escape after suspected pro-LTTE supporters blew up a portion of the railway track at Chithani village near Perani station in Tamil Nadu in the wee hours of today.
The blast left a huge crater and the three metres of the track was missing.
Only a fortnight ago, more than 100 passengers were killed and scores others injured when 13 coaches of Mumbai-bound Gyaneshwari Express derailed in West Bengal’s West Midnapore district early on Friday. Five of these coaches were also hit by a speeding goods train. The incident occurred at 1.30 am when the train was running between Khemasoli and Sardiya stations, about 135 km from Kolkata.
Police and Railway sources said the blast had taken place after the Salem-Chennai Express passed Mundiyambakkam Station at around 0200 hrs and few minutes before the Rockfort Express was to pass the stretch.
The driver and guard of the train felt a rude jolt when the train was passing through Chithani after crossing the Mundiyambakkam station whose Station Master alerted the driver of the Rockfort Express and the higher officials.
On being asked to proceed with caution, the driver of Rockfort Express slowed down considerably and was proceeding at a speed of 20 km per hour when he noticed a portion of the track missing and immediately stopped the train, thereby averting a deadly disaster.
This was the second time the Rockfort Express was being targeted by miscreants.
On March 15, 1987, over 50 people were killed when the activists of Tamil Nadu Liberation Army (TNLA) blew up the track near Marudayatrupallam in Ariyalur.
