Sabotage attempt foiled on Natore railway line; train services restored

An act of attempted sabotage was foiled on Sunday night near the Madhnagar Railway Station in Naldanga upazila of Natore, after miscreants wrapped an iron chain around a section of the railway track and secured it with a padlock.

The incident occurred around 10:00 PM in the Palashitola area, just south of the station. A local pedestrian first spotted the chain on the tracks and informed nearby residents. The matter was promptly reported to the stationmaster and Naldanga Police Station.

Police arrived at the scene shortly afterward and, with the assistance of a technician brought from Atrai in Naogaon, managed to cut the chain before any train could pass over it. Authorities confirmed that a major accident was narrowly avoided. The chain and padlock have been recovered and are currently being held at the Madhnagar station office as part of the investigation.

The incident disrupted railway services on the route. The Shimanta Express was delayed by three hours, the Nilsagar Express by two hours, and the Ekota Express by thirty minutes. Services have since returned to normal.

Rafiqul Islam, Officer-in-Charge of Naldanga Police Station, stated, “Although the matter falls under the jurisdiction of the Railway Police, we responded immediately upon receiving the information. Preliminary evidence suggests the act may have been intended as sabotage. A full investigation is underway.”

Authorities have pledged increased surveillance and security along vulnerable railway sections to prevent further incidents.