Two scrap collectors arrested for placing aluminium ladder on railway track in Coimbatore

Coimbatore: The railway protection force (RPF) in Coimbatore, arrested two scrap collectors on Monday, for placing an aluminium ladder on the railway track between Coimbatore North and Peelamedu stations on May 9.The arrested have been identified as G Nagaraj, 35, from Veera Keralam, and A Kandasamy, 45, from Karamadai.On May 9, a locomotive hit the ladder which had been placed on the up-line track, and the impact caused a loud noise forcing the loco pilot to apply emergency brakes. The pilot then alerted RPF officials, who registered a case under several sections of the Railways Act, prompting a high-priority investigation over suspected sabotage. Subsequent inquiry found that two men had placed the ladder on the track. RPF personnel tracked them down and detained them on Monday. During questioning, they admitted that they had placed the ladder on the track to break it into smaller pieces and sell it as scrap."The men had found the aluminium ladder and tried to sell it to a local scrap dealer. However, the dealer reportedly refused to buy it in its original form and advised them to cut it into smaller pieces. Unable to break the metal themselves, they decided to place it on the track hoping it will get crushed when run over by a train," said an RPF official. Both men were produced before a court and remanded in judicial custody.