Kozhikode: In a suspected sabotage attempt, several holes were found drilled into both sides of the railway track at Kundayithode near Feroke railway station, about 15 km from Kozhikode railway station on the busy Mangalore-Shornur rail route.
As many as 34 small holes had been drilled into the track with 14 of them on one side and 20 on the other, according to police. The holes are five millimetres in depth and diameter. A police team led by Kozhikode city police commissioner A. V. George inspected the track and prepared a preliminary report.
Moves were also afoot to bring in a special team to examine the track to confirm the sabotage angle. However, the police were not sure of any sabotage attempt as the holes were not deep and the majority were found scattered. Mr A. V. George told Deccan Chronicle that the police were yet to reach any conclusion.
“We have begun an investigation. An expert team from the forensic department would examine the spot,” he said.
A team of officials from Railway Protection Force headed by assistant security commissioner C. Ramdas and railway safety officials examined the spot.
Apart from the RPF, the Nallalam police also registered a case. RPF inspector Anil Kumar told Deccan Chronicle that the holes could have been made using a sound-proof driller as people living on either side of the track said they did not hear any noise.
“The stretch is an area of high-intensity human movement and drilling so many holes on the track unseen by anyone is impossible,” he added.
The holes came to the notice of the track maintenance workers on Thursday evening. However, the railway team failed to notice the holes during its routine checking. Repair works to plug the holes were carried out.
Meanwhile, sources said that these holes would have rendered the tracks unsafe had they gone unnoticed for a few days.
However, the railway safety officials dismissed the chances of any immediate mishap due to the holes. But weakening of the track in future would have resulted in mishaps, they said.
Many trains were held up at the station for several hours due to the inspection.
