Surat/Berhampur: A man has been arrested for allegedly placing benches on the tracks in a bid to derail the Pune-Ahmedabad Ahimsa Express in December 2017 in Gujarat, a Surat police official said on Thursday.
Two benches were laid on the tracks between Surat and Utran stations on December 28 that year but a mishap was averted after the driver of the Ahimsa Express managed to apply brakes in time, police said.
Sachin aka Dilip Pandi (28), a native of Ganjam district of Odisha, hatched the plan to derail the train to establish dominance in AK Road hutment area here as he sold ganja to slum-dwellers in the vicinity, a Surat Crime Branch release said.
A case was registered at the time at Katargam police station and four persons were held, while nine accused, including alleged mastermind Pandi, remained on the run.
“Based on a specific tip off, Surat crime branch nabbed Pandi from Odisha and brought him here on Thursday. He used to sell ganja and liquor to AK Roads slum area residents and was angry at strict police measures against the illicit trade,” an official said.
“To establish his dominance, he hatched this plan of derailing a train by placing benches. Pandi was wanted in two Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act cases registered at Varachha police station here after the seizure of 250 kilograms of ganja in 2016,” he said.
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