Grinding stone in the middle of railway track in Kochi triggers panic, probe on

A grinding stone was found in the middle of a railway track near the Pachalam overbridge in the early hours of Friday (December 5), raising concerns about public safety.

The stone was spotted by the loco pilot of the Mysuru-Kochuveli Express as the train passed by the line at 4.50 a.m. The loco pilot alerted the Railway police, and the personnel reached the spot and removed the stone immediately.

The Ernakulam Town North police have registered a case over the incident and launched an investigation. The police examined CCTV footage in the vicinity. The case was registered under relevant sections of the Railways Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The police sources said residents had told them the grinding stone had been lying near the track for a while. It had surfaced after the bushy area along the track was cleared for laying telecommunication cables, the police said.

The police have found the carcass of a dog near the track. “There were bloodstains on the grinding stone. The investigation will also look into whether the death of the three-month-old dog was related to the incident, sources said.