16 cases of train sabotage in the last 40 days in 2017, Indian Railways suspect 'terror angle'

Indian Railways suspect that abnormally high cases of train accidents in the recent past are the act of sabotage

Railway board claims that there have been abnormally high cases of train accidents in the first 40 days in 2017

New Delhi: Indian Railways suspect that sudden rise in the number of train accidents in the recent past are the act of sabotage.

'In 2017, in the first 40 days, there have already been 16 cases and this is abnormally high,' Mohammed Jamshed, Member Traffic, Railway Board told India Today TV.

Terming it an 'abnormally high', a top railways official said that most of these 16 instances of rail sabotage in 2017 have occurred in non-traditional Left-wing extremism (LWE)- affected areas, and does not carry the signature of Maoist subversive activities. 

'There were 45 incidents in 2016, including seven blasts, three instances of track tampering, 27 cases of sabotage and attempt to sabotage and eight agitation related incidents. 

Shamsul Hoda, who was arrested in Nepal in a murder case is wanted by India's top anti-terror body, the National Investigation Agency or NIA, for allegedly funding terror plots that led to train derailments in Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, Hirakhand in Andhra Pradesh and a foiled attempt in Bihra's Ghorasan.