Aligarh (UP): Railway Police has arrested an individual for allegedly placing an alloy wheel on the railway tracks of the Delhi-Kanpur freight corridor to derail a moving train, media reports said.

The accused, identified as Afsan, has been arrested and further investigations are underway. He hails from the Kelpur area of Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh, reported Times Now Navbharat.

According to the report, a goods train had passed over the track, but fortunately, no accident occurred.

The incident follows close on the heels of the August 17 Sabarmati Express passenger train off-track incident in which 22 coaches were derailed between Kanpur and Bhimsen Station in Uttar Pradesh after the train’s engine hit an object on the tracks.

First Area Officere Abhay Pandey said on August 20, police were alerted that an alloy wheel of a bike was found on the railway track of the Delhi-Kanpur freight corridor, passing through the Talashpur area under the Rorawar Police Station,

On receiving this information, teams of the Railway Protection Force and Rorawar Police Station arrived at the scene and removed the wheel.

After inspecting the tracks and the surrounding areas, the RPF filed an FIR with the local police station, and three police teams were deployed to search for the suspect.

Sabarmati Express derailment

The train, en route from Varanasi to Ahmedabad, derailed at 2:29 am on August 17, about half an hour after departing from Kanpur Central Station after its engine hit an object on the tracks.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw posted on X, "The engine of Sabarmati Express (Varanasi to Amdavad) hit an object placed on the track and derailed near Kanpur at 02:35 am today.

"Sharp hit marks are observed. Evidence is protected. IB and UP police are also working on it. No injuries to passengers or staff. Train arranged for passengers for onward journey to Amdavad."

Vandalisation by YouTuber for content

These aren’t the only incidents of placing random objects on train tracks. On August 1, YouTuber Gulzar Sheikh was arrested for placing various items, such as bicycles, soaps, and stones, on railway tracks to garner likes and shares for his content.

Sheikh, a resident of  UP’s Lalgopalganj, was arrested after a complaint filed by the Legal Hindu Defence. BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla announced the news on X (formerly known as Twitter).

A review of Sheikh's YouTube channel, "Gulzar Indian Hacker," reveals numerous videos and shorts in which he places various objects on railway tracks. Despite occasional disclaimers warning viewers not to imitate these dangerous acts, his content consistently features such risky behavior.

The channel has over 243 videos, including one short that has amassed 99 million views. It has over 235,000 subscribers and a total view count exceeding 137 million.

The earliest recorded instance of this hazardous behavior dates back to January 2024, when Sheikh placed earbuds on the tracks.

Subsequent videos show him placing a 500-gram weight and an axe on the tracks, demonstrating his disregard for safety.