Blast damages freight train engine in Punjab days before Republic Day, investigation underway

A late-night explosion damaged a freight train engine on a railway track in Punjab on Friday, triggering a security alert just two days before Republic Day.

The blast was reported at around 9:50 pm near Khanpur village in Fatehgarh Sahib district. The goods train was travelling on a newly built section of the Dedicated Freight Corridor when the explosion occurred close to a level crossing.

Advertisement

The engine was hit as the train moved between Sirhind and Mandi Gobindgarh, heading towards Ludhiana. The loco pilot suffered minor injuries and was taken to the hospital for first aid. Officials said he was out of danger.

Railway movement on the stretch was stopped as a precaution. Restoration work began overnight.

#WATCH | Punjab: A suspicious blast reported at the railway line near Khanpur Village in Fatehgarh Sahib. Police present at the spot.

Police say that the intensity of the blast was very low and it wasn’t a major blast, just a minor one. The driver suffered a minor cut on his… pic.twitter.com/03fcAfraIj

— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2026

What investigators found at the site

Officials said the impact of the explosion was strong enough to damage around 12 feet of track. Sleepers and track fittings were affected. The front glass of the engine was shattered.

Police recovered suspicious material, including wires, from the site. Samples were seized and sent for forensic examination by the Government Railway Police team late at night.

Authorities have confirmed the blast but are not drawing conclusions yet.

On Saturday morning, Ropar Range DIG Nanak Singh inspected the location. “The incident is being examined scientifically. Those responsible will be identified and arrested,” he said.

He added that there was no loss of life and no major damage to railway property. The loco pilot suffered minor facial cuts. Security checks have been stepped up in the area.

Officials stressed it would be premature to describe the incident as a terror attack. For now, it is being treated as a criminal act.

The blast occurred on the Dedicated Freight Corridor, one of India’s most critical rail infrastructure projects. The corridor is designed to divert freight trains away from passenger routes to reduce congestion and improve efficiency.

Nearly 90 per cent of work on the eastern and western corridors has been completed. Once fully operational, over 70 per cent of freight traffic is expected to move through these exclusive lines.

With Republic Day approaching, the timing of the incident has raised security concerns, even as investigators continue to examine what caused the explosion.