A major rail tragedy was averted early Sunday morning after a 53-wagon goods train, which was halted at Kathua station, traveled a distance of around 80 km without a driver before it was stopped by the railway authorities near Mukerian in Hoshiarpur district of Punjab.

A video of the train, reportedly running without the driver, also went viral on various social media platforms prompting the railway authorities to order a high-level probe into the incident.

According to official sources at Kathua Railway station, the goods train was halted at the station for a routine crew change exercise around 7.20 a.m. 

“Due to the steep gradient along the Jammu-Jalandhar track the goods train started rolling on the track before the crew members took control in the driver’s cabin” official sources said. 

The unusual incident triggered panic among the railway staff. It is suspected that before stepping out of the driver’s cabin the loco pilot and his assistant may have forgotten to pull the hand brake.

To prevent any major mishap along the route the railway authorities alerted the railway crossings. While the goods train covered the 80 km long distance it encountered no other train from the opposite direction. The railway authorities, on their tenterhooks, heaved a sigh of relief only after the driverless train was contained at Unchi Bassi station.

No damages or injuries were reported in the incident. According to Official sources the officials from the Ferozepur railway division have been entrusted with the responsibility to conduct a probe into the incident.