New Delhi: Fish plates and elastic rail clips were found removed from the track near Kanpur on January 1 with railways suspecting it to be an act of sabotage and seeking a CBI inquiry into the incident.


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A patrol team comprising gang-men detected the missing fish plates and elastic rail clips on the busy track near Kanpur on January 1 which averted a possible derailment.


Patrolling staff found the removal of fish plates and also damage to the tracks by a hacksaw between Kalyanpur and Mandhana stations of Farrukhabad-Kanpur Anwarganj section.


The railways suspect it was an act of sabotage by unscrupulous elements ahead of Prime Minister's Lucknow rally on January 2.


"We have written to the CBI requesting for a detailed inquiry including the sabotage angle into the incident of missing fish plates and elastic rail clips on the track near Kanpur," RPF DG SK Bhagat told PTI.


"It is a serious issue and has national ramification. So we decided to seek CBI help since they have expertise," Bhagat said.


The letter seeking CBI inquiry was sent by RPF DG yesterday.


Prior to the January 1 incident, railways had two back-to-back serious derailments near Kanpur in November-December.


While 14 coaches of Indore-Patna Express were derailed claiming about 150 lives on November 20, 15 coaches of Sealdah-Ajmer Express got derailed on December 28 injuring about 50 passengers near Kanpur.


Rail fractures were suspected in both the cases and Commissioner of railway safety is inquiring into both the cases.