The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), Southern Circle, A.M. Chowdhary, concluded that the October 11, 2024, collision of the Mysuru-Darbhanga Bagmati Express (Train No. 12578) with a stationary goods train at Kavaraipettai station in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvallur district was a deliberate act of sabotage. The probe found that miscreants forcibly removed components of the track interlocking system, specifically altering the left-hand (LH) tongue rails, causing the train, traveling at 90 kmph with a green signal for the main line, to divert onto the loop line. This led to the derailment of 13 coaches, a fire in a parcel-cum-power car, and injuries to 19 passengers, with three grievously injured but no fatalities.

Chowdhary praised loco pilot G. Subramani for his “outstanding alertness” in applying emergency brakes, reducing the collision’s impact. The Railway Ministry recommended Subramani for the Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar. The CRS report, finalized after a statutory inquiry on October 16–17, 2024, in Chennai, ruled out equipment failure, classifying the incident as sabotage under Section 150 of the Indian Railways Act. The Korukkupet Railway Police added this charge after finding deliberately loosened bolts and nuts, echoing a similar July 17, 2024, sabotage attempt at Ponneri station, 10 km away, where signal boxes were tampered with.

Expressing concern over potential insider involvement, Chowdhary urged the Railway Protection Force’s Special Intelligence Branch (SIB) to enhance intelligence gathering on railway employees and contractors. The Ministry responded by intensifying SIB coordination with central and state agencies, identifying sabotage-prone areas, and increasing patrolling and CCTV surveillance. Regular Standing Committee meetings, chaired by additional divisional railway managers, now oversee track security in vulnerable sections.

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To prevent future incidents, the CRS recommended anti-pilferage measures, such as tamper-resistant fasteners for point machines and tongue rails. The Ministry reported ongoing trials of three to four designs, with plans to standardize based on field results. Chowdhary also advised strict tool management for artisans, prohibiting tools from being taken home. The Ministry, however, cited operational challenges, noting that centralized tool storage could delay emergency responses at remote stations, and is exploring alternatives.

The incident, which disrupted the Chennai-Gudur section, prompted Southern Railway to restore tracks by October 13, 2024, despite rain delays, and transport 1,800 stranded passengers via a special train from Chennai Central at 4:45 AM on October 12. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) continues its probe, suspecting a criminal conspiracy, while opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi criticized the government’s railway safety record.

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