Police inspecting the railway track near Nidubrol railway station after firing on suspected signal tamperers in Guntur district on Tuesday | Photo credit: Special arrangement
The railway police opened 10 shots early on Tuesday morning at a group of suspected thieves who were allegedly trying to tamper with railway signals near Nidubrolu railway station in Ponnur mandal of Guntur district. No casualties were reported in the incident.
According to the police, four rounds were fired from a sub-inspector’s pistol and six rounds from .303 rifles carried by two police constables after the suspects allegedly attacked the police team with stones during a patrolling operation.
Deputy Inspector General of Police B. Satya Yesubabu told The Hindu on Tuesday that the suspects were not passengers on the train but belonged to a gang that deliberately tampered with railway signals, especially house signals placed just outside stations, to stop trains and commit robberies.
“They are not boarding the trains. Instead, they are manipulating signals and making the trains stop so that they can target passengers, especially women with gold ornaments,” Mr Yesubabu said.
According to him, special teams of railway police deployed on routine night patrolling noticed suspicious activity on the tracks near Nidubrolu station. When police warned the suspects to stop damaging the signaling equipment, the accused allegedly retaliated by pelting stones from the track.
With the situation escalating, he said, the police opened fire in self-defense and to prevent further damage to the railway infrastructure.
Mr. Yesubabu said the railway authorities had strengthened night surveillance following similar incidents reported in the past. More than 60 special teams have been deployed across the state to guard railway tracks round the clock, equipped with firearms and adequate ammunition.
He said experienced offenders often tampered with house signals, causing them to display a red indication, forcing locomotive pilots to stop trains before entering stations, creating an opportunity for theft and robbery.
After the shooting, the suspects fled the scene. Police found wire cutters abandoned near the track, suggesting preparations for signal tampering. Officials suspect that more people hiding nearby may have been involved in the incident. A search operation is underway and a case is being registered, the police added.
Published – 12 May 2026 18:45 IST
