A potential train disaster was averted when the loco pilot of the Naini Jan Shatabdi Express discovered a six-meter-long iron pole placed across the tracks near Rudrapur City Station in Uttarakhand on September 18. The pilot promptly applied the emergency brakes, stopping the train in time and preventing a derailment. This incident is part of a troubling trend of sabotage attempts on Indian railways, with similar recent incidents involving gas cylinders and cement blocks on tracks, raising concerns about railway safety. Investigations are ongoing, with authorities suspecting miscreants may be behind these dangerous acts. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has pledged that conspiracies to cause such accidents will be addressed. The government plans to enhance railway safety measures across the extensive national network.