Fake explosive devices found on railway track

KANHANGAD: Three pieces of PVC pipe connected to batteries with wires were detected on the railway track at the Cheruvathur station on Saturday morning, causing panick among the public. Two pieces of pipe were fastened with adhesive tapes while another one was found a few metres away on the track. There was no explosive material in the device.The pipes resembling an explosive device were found on the track after the Cheruvathur-Mangalore fast passenger left the station around 6 am. The devices were found on the fourth track where normally the goods trains are stabled.  A police team led by Hosdurg ASP Manjunath reached the spot and placed sand bags on the devices which were later moved out of the track.The PVC pipe pieces were capped with cement on either sides and cement particles and papers were found stuffed  inside the pipes. The materials inside were found not to be explosive. Police suspect that the devices were placed on the track as part of a dry run to test the reaction and alertness of the police. The police have taken a serious note of the incident and an investigation is on.Meanwhile, the railway police and the local police are yet to arrest the persons who placed an iron rod on the track in front of the Manjeswaram station.This incident is the fourth one of a series of incidents that happened within three months. First large stones were placed on the track near Kumbla railway station and again a hexametre was found placed on the track near Manjeswaram station. A high-level meeting of police officials, RPF and the railway police had been convened a few days ago which  decided to conduct joint patrolling of the tracks and remove all large stones and iron rods near the tracks.