NIA to probe rising incidents on railway tracks, says Ravneet Bittu

New Delhi: Incidents of placing gas cylinders, iron girders, and fire extinguishers on railway tracks are on the rise across the country. Based on secret intelligence inputs, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and central agencies have been put on high alert nationwide.

Union Minister of State Ravneet Bittu has stated that these cases have been handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is investigating various angles. He assured that further action will be taken soon after the probe is completed.

Bittu Warns Farmers: Blocking Trains Will Hurt Them

The NIA is exploring the possibility that these incidents might be part of an effort to harm trains. Bittu pointed out that certain groups seem determined to damage the railways.

Regarding the October 3 protest by Punjab farmers, who plan to block railway tracks for three hours at 35 locations, the minister warned that farmers will be the ones to suffer the consequences of halting trains.

Punjab Government Not Cooperating in Land Acquisition: Bittu

Addressing another issue, Bittu accused the Punjab government of stalling land acquisition for a 20-kilometer railway track between Chandigarh and Rajpura.

Currently, trains from Bathinda have to travel via Ambala to reach Chandigarh due to the absence of a direct track. The minister said that despite the land being acquired, the state government has refused to cooperate in finalizing the project, impacting connectivity in the region.