Burning Gas Cylinder Discovered Along Kanpur Railway Track Sparks Police Investigation
In a startling incident that raised security concerns, a burning 5-kilogram gas cylinder was discovered on Wednesday night alongside the crucial Delhi–Prayagraj railway track, approximately 2 kilometers from Kanpur Central Railway Station. The alarming find prompted immediate response from multiple law enforcement agencies after authorities received critical information from a vigilant passenger traveling on a passing train.
Emergency Response and Initial Findings
Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Satyajeet Gupta confirmed that the information about the fiery cylinder was relayed through the emergency Dial 112 service. According to Gupta, the report indicated that a cylinder had caught fire roughly 2 kilometers ahead of the busy railway station. Local police units and Railway Protection Force (RPF) officials swiftly mobilized and reached the location to conduct a thorough inspection of the site.
During their examination, authorities discovered a bag lying in close proximity to the burning cylinder. The bag contained various personal items including clothing, utensils, a hammock, a mobile phone, an Aadhaar card, and several other belongings. The recovered Aadhaar card provided crucial identification, belonging to 52-year-old Om Prakash Mishra, a resident of Pratapgarh. Police successfully retrieved his mobile phone and additional documents from the scene, though notably, no individual was present at the location following the incident.
Investigation Points to Train Incident
Preliminary investigation suggests that the gas cylinder may have burst when the bag fell during a train journey, subsequently igniting the fire. Law enforcement officials suspect the bag might have fallen from the Prayagraj-bound Mahabodhi Express. When police attempted to contact Om Prakash Mishra using the recovered mobile number, his son answered the call and provided revealing information about his father's circumstances.
The son disclosed that Mishra had recently departed from Delhi en route to Pratapgarh. He described his father as struggling with alcohol addiction and revealed that Mishra had left home without informing anyone, taking approximately Rs 7,000 along with his personal belongings. Originally from Pratapgarh, Mishra had been working alongside his son as a security guard in Delhi. Investigators now suspect that following a domestic quarrel, Mishra packed his possessions and was traveling to his native village when the bag accidentally fell from the train.
Alternative Theories and Expanded Probe
Police are also exploring another plausible scenario where passengers might have deliberately thrown the cylinder from the train after detecting a gas leak. In such a case, the cylinder could have struck a rock or hard surface upon impact, causing a puncture that led to the fire. To thoroughly investigate all possibilities, specialized teams from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), Government Railway Police (GRP), Railway Protection Force (RPF), and the Crime Branch conducted detailed site inspections alongside regular police officials.
The investigation is comprehensively examining whether this incident involved any element of conspiracy or mischief. Both RPF and local police have launched an extensive search operation to locate Om Prakash Mishra. Authorities have indicated that Mishra could potentially face legal action for transporting a gas cylinder aboard a train, which violates railway safety regulations. Investigators are meticulously reviewing CCTV footage from Kanpur Central Railway Station and surrounding areas to reconstruct the events. The ongoing probe aims to definitively determine whether the bag was deliberately thrown or accidentally fell from the train.
