An attempted train derailment was reported at Kottikulam in Kasaragod district of Kerala on Saturday evening (December 20, 2025) after a concrete slab was found on the track near Kottikulam railway station. The board was found around 8:30 p.m. on the track adjacent to platform number 1 on the south side of the station, railway officials said.
The boards were noticed by passengers and local residents who immediately alerted the station master. Railway employees rushed to the spot and removed the obstruction, averting a potential disaster.
The identity of the persons behind the act is not yet known. Acting on a complaint filed by the Kottikulam railway station master, the Bekal police registered a case.
The incident assumed significance as it occurred on the opening day of the Bekal fest, prompting the authorities to treat the matter with utmost seriousness.
A similar derailment attempt was reported in Kottikulam last year when an iron rod was found on the track. An investigation at the time revealed that a woman scavenger was behind the incident. According to police sources, earlier cases of stone fragments were also found on the track. But it is the first time that a concrete slab has been discovered.
Authorities have announced that security along the stretch will be beefed up and security will be beefed up in the area. Bekal Deputy Superintendent of Police VV Manoj said the investigation has been expedited.
Published – 21 December 2025 17:00 IST
