Chandigarh: A railway track explosion in the dedicated freight corridor at Sirhind, located in Punjab's Fatehgarh Sahib district, has raised concerns of sabotage. The blast, which occurred around 9:50 PM on Friday, resulted in damage to a train engine and left the loco pilot with minor injuries, according to police reports.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (Ropar Range) Nanak Singh stated that it is premature to label the incident as a terrorist act. However, an unverified claim from the banned group Khalistan Zindabad Force surfaced on social media, suggesting responsibility for the explosion, which took place just before Republic Day.

The DIG confirmed that the loco pilot, identified as Anil Sharma from the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation, suffered a minor cut but is not in danger.

The affected train was conducting a footplate inspection while traveling from Gobindgarh to Sirhind. Following the explosion, a crack was found in the rail track, and the engine's glass pane was shattered. Fortunately, the rail track has since been repaired and is operational.

Residents of the nearby village of Khanpur reported hearing a loud noise from the explosion, causing panic among locals. A case has been filed under Section 150 of the Railways Act for maliciously attempting to wreck a train.

Multiple investigation teams have been deployed, and interagency coordination is underway. The DIG assured that they are working scientifically to apprehend those responsible.

This incident comes amid heightened security measures in anticipation of Republic Day on January 26. The Khalistan Zindabad Force's statement claimed the blast was merely a 'trailer' and warned of further actions.

DIG Singh described the explosion as a 'minor blast' and a 'criminal activity' attributed to miscreants. He emphasized that it is too early to determine if there is a terror angle, stating that further investigation will reveal the motives and identities of those involved.

Forensic teams have collected samples from the site for analysis.