Security agencies have launched a probe after CCTVs, installed at Kolkata's Howrah station in West Bengal, showed a man dumping an object near the cab road, which caught fire on Tuesday afternoon.
Howrah station is the country’s oldest and busiest railway station.
“A fire was reported from the toilet of Mithila Express before it departed from Howrah station on May 19.
When security agencies started probing into the incident and scanned through CCTV clippings, they spotted a man dumping a packet-like object near the cab road at Howrah station around 2:38 pm, which triggered a small fire.
Howrah station is the country’s oldest and busiest railway station.
Security agencies have launched a probe after CCTVs, installed at Kolkata's Howrah station in West Bengal, showed a man dumping an object near the cab road, which caught fire on Tuesday afternoon. Howrah station is the country’s oldest and busiest railway station. The station complex, with its 24 platforms, registers more than a million passengers every day. (ANI)
Close on the heels of the incident, another fire was reported on board the Howrah-Raxaul Mithila express, which was stationed at Howrah. The fire was spotted near the toilet of a compartment and doused by security personnel after passengers alerted them.
“A fire was reported from the toilet of Mithila Express before it departed from Howrah station on May 19. When security agencies started probing into the incident and scanned through CCTV clippings, they spotted a man dumping a packet-like object near the cab road at Howrah station around 2:38 pm, which triggered a small fire. A probe has been launched, and efforts are on to identify the man,” said an official.
Howrah station is the country’s oldest and busiest railway station. The station complex, with its 24 platforms, registers more than a million passengers every day.
Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw held a high-level security review meeting at Rail Bhawan in New Delhi on Thursday.
“It was noted during the meeting that in the last few days, the involvement of anti-social elements has emerged during the initial probe into multiple incidents, including some recent fire incidents. Indian Railways has taken these incidents seriously, and the RPF is actively probing them," the Railways said in a statement.
"In several cases, prompt and proactive action by Railways helped avert major eventualities. It was also felt that, besides strengthening intelligence systems and the use of technology to process inputs faster, Railways will further encourage passengers to actively support efforts in containing anti-social activities during their journey and while waiting at station premises. Railways has thus urged passengers to remain alert and vigilant while travelling. Any suspicious activity or suspicious person noticed on railway premises should be immediately reported on the Railway helpline number 139,” it added.
