Ahead of the Republic Day, intelligence agencies have issued a high-level alert for terror attacks across key cities, including Delhi, Ayodhya and Varanasi. The security has been tightened in the wake of the alerts. However, it seems that terrorists or miscreants are not only planning a major terror attack but also something more sinister. The recent incidents related to Indian Railways suggest that a major train accident is being plotted to cause mass casualties.
The situation is more concerning because Pakistan and Khalistani militants are not happy with India’s rising graph, as European leaders have descended in New Delhi to grace the Republic Day as chief guests and to sign the historic Free Trade Agreement.
According to an IANS report, there is a sense of desperation that is setting in among the Khalistan elements, and this may lead to them carrying out a major attack in India. Once they were beaten down in Punjab, they took shelter in Pakistan, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
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Since then, there have been multiple attempts that had been made to revive the movement in Punjab, but they have been largely unsuccessful. However, recent Intelligence inputs suggest that the ISI is on overdrive mode and wants the Khalistan terror groups to strike big and send across a strong message. During a recent meeting, the ISI decided that all the Khalistan terror groups would operate as one. The lead would be taken by the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). Since that meeting, the BKI has trained hard and managed to set up some modules in Punjab.
Another official said that the ISI is trying to move the BKI cadres to Bangladesh and then move them into India. The focus areas of the attacks, according to Intelligence agencies, would be Delhi and Punjab.
The blast at the train track connecting Delhi to Punjab may be a part of that attempt. A suspicious blast took place at the railway line near Khanpur Village in Punjab’s Fatehgarh Sahib on Saturday, and the city has been put on a high alert, Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain said. Punjab Police rushed to the spot. Police said that it was a low-intensity, minor blast. The loco-pilot sustained minor injuries, while the train and the track sustained no major damage.
Just days ago, there was an attempt to tarnish India’s image by plotting to derail the prestigious Maharaja Express, which is used by foreign visitors for an India tour. A major conspiracy to sabotage the Maharajas’ Express—one of India’s most luxurious tourist trains—was foiled near Jaipur in Rajasthan. The loco pilot spotted five to six iron angles, each around five feet long, deliberately placed on the railway track. Acting swiftly, he applied the emergency brakes, averting a potentially catastrophic disaster.
Another major rail accident was narrowly averted in Gujarat’s Amreli district on Thursday evening after an apparent attempt was made to derail the Bhavnagar–Porbandar Passenger train (No. 59560). The incident occurred near Khijadiya village, between Khijadiya Junction and Chital railway station. As the train was passing through the stretch, the loco pilot noticed stones and a cement pole deliberately placed on the railway track. Sensing the danger, the loco pilot immediately applied the emergency brakes, bringing the train to a halt in time and preventing a potentially catastrophic accident.
Railways are strategic national assets. National security is not limited to protecting borders—it also means safeguarding the lifelines that keep the nation moving. Thus, the terrorists are looking to go beyond conventional attacks on security establishments and appear to have been eyeing transport carriers as well ahead of the Republic Day.
