Kochi, Dec 5
A suspected attempt to sabotage train operations near the Pachalam bridge in Kerala's Kochi early Friday has triggered a high-level multi-agency investigation, after a heavy grinding stone was discovered placed squarely on a railway track.

Kerala Police, Railway Protection Force (RPF), and Railway Police have intensified the probe, while central agencies are also expected to join.

The incident occurred on a day when Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was in Kochi, prompting authorities to treat the development with increased seriousness.

At around 4.30 a.m., the loco pilot of the Mysuru-Kochuveli Express noticed the grinding stone on the track and immediately alerted the RPF and Railway Police.

The train, travelling at moderate speed at the time, passed over the stone without derailing, a factor officials say prevented a major disaster.

Local residents told investigators that around 2 a.m., a group had arrived in the area in a jeep.

They reported hearing noises resembling something being dragged along the ground, followed by loud metallic sounds near a nearby gate.

Police suspect that the grinding stone -- originally lying in a depression beside the track -- was deliberately lifted and placed at the centre of the rail line.

Adding to the mystery, a dog was found dead nearby, its body severely mangled.

Investigators are examining whether the animal was struck by a train or if it is connected to the suspected sabotage attempt.

CCTV footage from the neighbourhood is being thoroughly analysed. The stone has since been removed from the track and kept aside as evidence.

Officers said the very act of placing such a heavy object directly on the track indicates deliberate and planned intent.

The incident comes against a backdrop of a series of similar sabotage attempts reported across Kerala over the past year.

At Ottapalam, five iron clips were placed on the track in what appeared to be an attempt to derail a train.

In Valapattanam, a concrete lid was placed on the track, causing the Kochuveli-Bhavnagar Express to jolt violently before the loco pilot halted the train.

In both cases, conclusive breakthroughs in identifying the culprits have remained elusive.

The Valapattanam - Pappinissery stretch has also been flagged by intelligence agencies as a frequent spot for stone-pelting incidents, including those targeting the Vande Bharat Express.

Grinding stone found on Kochi railway track; probe underway