Mangaluru, 20 Oct

Gravel and stones were allegedly deliberately placed on the railway tracks near Ullal here by some miscreants, posing a serious risk to trains passing through the area, official sources said on Sunday.

The stones were found scattered on the railway tracks near Tokkottu about 3 kilometers from Ullal between Kapikad and Ganeshnagar, on Saturday night. A loud noise was heard as a train heading towards Kerala passed over the site.

Initially, the sound was dismissed by residents as vehicular traffic, but further investigation revealed that the tracks had been obstructed by debris.

Upon noticing the disturbance, locals immediately alerted the railway police and Ullal police station.

A quick inspection of the site revealed that stones and gravel had been "intentionally placed" on the tracks, sources said.

The incident unfolded around 8:04 PM on Saturday when a local idetified as Padma residing near the Tokkottu Overpass Bridge spotted two suspicious individuals loitering near the tracks.

By the time she returned home, a train bound for Kerala had passed, followed by a loud sound. Some houses in the area even reported slight tremors.

Locals have expressed concerns over frequent gatherings of unknown individuals under the overpass. Residents say they have repeatedly complained to the Ullal police, and they are now urging the authorities to take swift action before a more serious incident occurs.

As a precaution, locals have called for the installation of CCTV cameras in the area to prevent future acts of sabotage. PTI