Alert loco pilot averts tragedy after spotting fire extinguisher on railway tracks in UP

KANPUR: In a series of incidents aimed at disrupting train services, a fire extinguisher was discovered near the Holding Line on the Jhansi-Kanpur route between Bhimsen and Govindpuri on Sunday morning.

A.K. Bhasin, the loco pilot of the Pushpak Express, spotted the cylinder on the track and immediately applied the emergency brake before alighting to investigate. The cylinder bore the initials "GKP," suggesting it originated from Gorakhpur. Bhasin promptly notified the control room, and both GRP and RPF personnel arrived at the scene.

The Pushpak Express, en route from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus to Lucknow Junction, was proceeding towards Central Station via the Holding Line between Bhimsen and Govindpuri on Sunday morning.

The train's reduced speed, due to the Holding Line, allowed Bhasin to notice the cylinder on the track approximately five kilometres before Bhimsen. He applied the emergency brake, bringing the train to a halt a short distance ahead.

Upon closer examination, it was determined that the cylinder was railway property. Bhasin transported the cylinder to Kanpur Central and turned it over to the RPF.

Further investigation revealed that the fire safety cylinder was issued by the Senior Section Engineer of Gorakhpur and belonged to the Kushinagar Express, which had passed by shortly before the cylinder was discovered on the track. It appeared that the cylinder had accidentally fallen from the same train.

The Kushinagar Express was travelling from Gorakhpur to Lokmanya Tilak Terminus at the time of the incident. According to Deputy CTM Ashutosh Kumar Singh, the Railway's Carriage and Wagon Department is currently looking into the matter. Further action will be taken on the basis of the report submitted by the said department.