'Suspicious act' led to Howrah train fire, shows CCTV footage

NEW DELHI: A day after railways said there were signs of sabotage in recent fire incidents, security agencies and RPF obtained CCTV footage from Howrah station, showing a suspicious act linked to the fire scare on Mithila Express. The footage allegedly captures a suspect throwing an object into a coach, which immediately triggered a fire and smoke inside a compartment of the train. The act was timed precisely during peak passenger hours to maximise panic and chaos, officials said.

This comes on the heels of recent warnings and intelligence reports, suggesting railways is increasingly being targeted as a soft side for "orchestrated sabotage," an official said. Authorities believe the act was designed not just to disrupt railway operations, but to trigger a stampede like situation among thousands of commuters.

Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Thursday took a review meeting with officers amid the incidents targeting railways. In a release, the ministry said Railways is using latest technology tools like AI, drones and CCTV intensively to enhance safety of trains, passengers, station premises and its entire network.

The meeting focused on strengthening intelligence gathering mechanisms from the field through an improved reporting system. "Emphasis was laid on enhancing tech-driven systems, expanding CCTV coverage across the network, and improving coordination between Railway Board HQs and field zones," the railway ministry said.