Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday said that the National Investigation Agency has been called in to probe the explosion incident that took place on the broad gauge line track at the Udaipur-Ahmedabad rail route on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday.
"A high-level probe is being done. We have called the NIA for the investigation. They will investigate the cause of the incident. We are taking it seriously," Gehlot said while speaking to the reporters here.
Earlier today, the first train (a goods train) ran on the Udaipur-Ahmedabad rail route at 9:20 this morning after the explosion on the broad gauge line track that occurred on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday.
Train movement on the Udaipur-Ahmedabad rail route was halted after an explosion occurred on the broad gauge line.
The explosion, which was reported near the Oda railway bridge on the Slumber-Megha highway on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, caused damage to railway tracks.
Locals villagers of the area said that they heard an explosion during night hours, after which the railways, police, and local administration authorities were informed.After a lot of effort by the railway staff, the track was repaired.
North-Western Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Shashi Kiran said that Railway completed the repair work of the railway track at 3.30 am last night.
"After the track was damaged in Ajmer division, the ATS team gave site clearance to North Western Railway at 11.30 pm last night. Taking swift action, engineers of NW Railway declared the track fit at 3.30 am," Kiran said.
As a precautionary measure, a trial run of a railway engine was done earlier.
A train passed through the track about four hours before the explosion, they said. Officials said that they suspect it to be a conspiracy to blow up the track, and claimed to have initiated a probe into the same.
Following the incident, officials from Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), local police, and FSL rushed to the spot and launched an investigation. The incident occurred hardly a month before the G20 Summit.
Soon after the incident came to light, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also took to Twitter, and wrote,
"The incident of damage to rail tracks on the Oda railway bridge of the Udaipur-Ahmedabad route is worrying. Senior police and administration officials are on the spot, and the DG Police has been directed to the routes of this incident."
"Railways will be provided all possible assistance for restoration of traffic on the bridge, and alternative arrangements are being made to ensure that the rail passengers of this route reach their destination," he said.
DGP Umesh Mishra said that central investigation agencies have been roped in to carry out the investigation and nab those involved. "We are probing the matter in coordination with the railway authorities, and central investigation agencies have also been roped in to investigate the matter," Mishra said in a statement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the broad gauge rail line between Udaipur and Ahmedabad on October 31.
Rajasthan BJP president Satish Poonia on Sunday said that Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot should be held accountable after an explosion on the broad gauge line on the Udaipur-Ahmedabad rail route.
( With inputs from ANI )
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