Between the hours of 7:13 am and 8:37 am, a freight train embarked on an unexpected journey covering a distance exceeding 80 kilometers without the presence of its drivers. This unusual occurrence led to the train's eventual cessation using sandbags upon reaching the seventh stop along its route. The incident unfolded on a Sunday as the goods train voyaged from Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir to a village situated within Punjab's Hoshiarpur district.
The train, comprising 53 loaded wagons carrying chip stones, commenced its autonomous movement from Kathua railway station, descending along a natural slope towards Pathankot. Railway authorities swiftly responded upon discovering the train's driverless state, as its speed surged beyond 70 km/h. Despite concerted efforts to utilize mechanical means to slow down the train, including the closure of all railway crossings along its trajectory, the train continued its journey unabated, traversing six stations successively.
Commencing its unexpected journey at approximately 7:13 am from line number three of Kathua railway station, the train reached various stations along its route with notable velocity. This included Madhopur railway station at 7:24 am, Sujanpur railway station at 7:30 am, and Bharoli station at 7:33 am, subsequently arriving at Pathankot Cantt railway station by 7:36 am.
During its passage, passengers and railway personnel at different stations captured videos of the driverless train, which rapidly circulated on social media platforms, garnering widespread attention.
Despite endeavors to intercept the goods train at Pathankot and Mukerian railway stations, these attempts proved futile, and the train continued its journey, passing Kandrori railway station at 7:47 am. Ultimately, the train was brought to a standstill at Unchi Bassi railway station at 8:37 am through the strategic placement of sandbags on the railway track.
Railway officials disclosed that neither the train's loco pilot nor the assistant loco pilot were present onboard when the train commenced its uncontrolled movement. Initial reports indicated that the train had halted at Kathua railway station for a scheduled driver change.
In the aftermath of the incident, the Ferozepur Division of the Indian Railways took disciplinary action against six railway personnel. Sanjay Sahu, the Divisional Manager of Ferozepur, announced during a media briefing that a probe panel had been established to investigate the underlying causes of the incident. "The successful halting of the train at Unchi Bassi railway station marked the suspension of services for six railway employees, pending the outcome of the ongoing probe," remarked Sanjay Sahu.
