Kokrajhar: Train services on the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) were temporarily halted early Thursday morning, October 23, after a suspected explosion damaged the railway track between Salakati and Kokrajhar stations in Assam’s Kokrajhar district.
The incident was reported around 1 a.m. when the crew of a passing goods train, specifically the local pilot and train manager, heard a loud sound and felt an abrupt jerk. According to Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of NFR, the quick-thinking crew immediately stopped the train to investigate. Their inspection confirmed damage to the railway track and sleepers, suggesting a suspected explosion had occurred. The Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police (GRP), and state police were instantly notified, launching a full-scale investigation into the matter.
Railway engineers swiftly undertook emergency restoration work, and the damaged section was fully repaired by 5:25 a.m., allowing the safe resumption of train movement. During the four-hour disruption, approximately eight train services were affected, experiencing delays of one to two hours. Officials confirmed that these trains were safely detained at adjacent stations as a precautionary measure.
In the aftermath of the suspected blast, the Northeast Frontier Railway has ramped up security measures. Patrolling and surveillance have been intensified along vulnerable track stretches, and extra RPF personnel and engineering staff have been deployed to avert any further untoward incidents. CPRO Sharma assured the public that all safety protocols are being strictly adhered to and that a comprehensive investigation by the state police, RPF, and GRP teams is ongoing. While the official cause of the explosion remains unconfirmed, authorities are treating the event as a serious security concern and are working jointly to determine if the damage was the result of sabotage.
