Chennai, June 18: Three sitting judges and two retired judges of the Madras High Court, along with hundreds of other passengers on board the Yercaud Superfast Express, had a miraculous escape after the train ran over a heavy iron rail piece deliberately placed across the tracks near Sankagiri in Salem district.

The train -- Yercaud Superfast Express (Train No. 22650) -- was en route from Erode to Chennai when the incident occurred around 9.45 p.m. on Tuesday, shortly after the train had crossed Mavelipalayam and was approaching Magudanchavadi railway station.

The train had departed Erode Junction at 9.01 p.m. Among the passengers were Justices N. Sathish Kumar, G.K. Ilanthiraiyan, and Krishnan Ramasamy, as well as retired Justices K. Kalyanasundaram and M. Govindaraj.

According to railway sources, the locomotive struck a 10-foot-long iron rod -- believed to be a piece of rail track -- which had been placed deliberately across the line near Kaligoundampalayam, in the Sankari block.

The engine dragged the obstruction for nearly 300 metres before the loco pilot brought the train to a screeching halt, preventing what could have been a catastrophic derailment.

As a result of the collision, the engine’s brake lining jammed, rendering the locomotive inoperable. Fortunately, none of the coaches were affected, and no injuries were reported among the passengers.

Upon inspection, the loco pilots found the iron rod wedged beneath the engine.

Officials from the Salem Railway Division, the Railway Protection Force (RPF), and the local Magudanchavadi police rushed to the site. The obstruction was removed, and a relief engine was dispatched from Erode.

The train resumed its journey at around 11.45 p.m., and the passengers safely reached Chennai early Wednesday morning after a delay of approximately three hours.

Railway authorities have taken the incident seriously, viewing it as a deliberate attempt to derail the train.

A probe has been launched, and surveillance footage from the surrounding area is being examined.

The incident also caused delays to several other trains operating on the Erode-Chennai route. Officials said enhanced patrolling and track inspections have been ordered in the region to prevent similar sabotage attempts in the future.

--IANS

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