Bogie number 20 from the engine of a goods train for Chopan derailed at 11.15 am on Saturday. The goods train was carrying rice and had 42 bogies in it.
The derailment of bogie number 20 got the train stranded since 11.15 as restoration of railway traffic on line number 6 took eight more hours, said sources. The shocking episode was witnessed in East Central railway of Dhanbad division on CIC section. G P Hansda Daltonganj railway station superintendent confirming this derailment said on line 6 this goods train's bogie number 20 from the engine derailed. No casuality is reported.
According to Hansda, a bundle of wood could be the cause of derailment. Wood sellers pass their wood bundles between the two bogies. Sources said that one bundle of wood was to be passed between the two bogies of this rice-laden bogies when the train pushed off for its onward journey for Chopan. The wheel of bogie number 20 struck the bundle on the track leading to the derailment. A K Sinha railway traffic inspector on the other hand said the cause of derailment is under scrutiny.
Sources also said that Daltonganj railway station is infamous for illegal transportation of fire wood, timber and coal.
This derailment has exposed the chink in the armour of the security forces deployed for railway and its property, said sources.
The RPF is probing the timber angle behind the derailment. Poor tribals and non tribals are engaged in this firewood selling.
Scores of people bring loads of bundles of firewood by passenger trains here in the morning especially from the side of Barwadeeh and Barkakana side. These bundle of wood has a huge market here.
With mercury continuing to dip further the demand for firewood is getting higher.The common practice is that between two stationed bogies dry wood is shipped. Here too it was so when the wheels of the goods train started rolling down and hit the bundle only to get its one bogie derailed, added sources.