Vande Bharat Stops After Auto Falls on Track

A major accident was avoided on Tuesday night when a Vande Bharat Express
train saw an autorickshaw lying on the railway track near Akathumuri Halt
station in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala.

The train, which was travelling from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram, was
nearing Akathumuri Halt in the Varkala–Kadakkavur section at around 10.10 pm.
The loco pilot noticed the autorickshaw on the down line and immediately
applied emergency brakes, bringing the high-speed train to a stop.

Railway officials said this quick action prevented a serious accident.
Railway Protection Force (RPF) staff, railway engineers and local police
rushed to the spot. They found the autorickshaw badly damaged and lying
on the track, with no driver or passengers around.

Officials believe the autorickshaw fell onto the track after the driver
lost control and crashed into the second platform. Later, the RPF took
the driver, identified as Sudhi, into custody. He is suspected to have
been drunk at the time and had run away from the scene.