On 20th May (Wednesday), Indian Railways informed that a string of train fire accidents was caused through intentional tampering by anti-social elements rather than being accidental. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) is conducting thorough probes into these occurrences.
The Ministry of Railways stated, “Following a report of a fire in a coach of the Mithila Express while it was stationed at Howrah, an investigation was conducted which led to the recovery of a half-burnt piece of cloth soaked in petrol. Railway staff demonstrated promptness and brought the situation under immediate control, thereby averting a major disaster.”
“The preliminary circumstances suggest that certain anti-social elements are attempting to jeopardise passenger safety and sow fear and disorder within the railway system. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) and relevant agencies are conducting serious investigations into all these matters,” it further added.
Ministry of Railway says – "Today, following a report of a fire in a coach of the Mithila Express while it was stationed at Howrah, an investigation was conducted which led to the recovery of a half-burnt piece of cloth soaked in petrol…Railway staff demonstrated promptness and… https://t.co/JREChtOqEK pic.twitter.com/sZGVjNTRZV
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2026
According to reports, evidence of mischief has been discovered in many locations following comprehensive investigations into a number of instances. An anonymous person attempted to set fire to linen materials inside a train carriage near Amarapura Railway Station, which resulted in an ablaze.
Likewise, a piece of cloth drenched in fuel was found in the bathroom of a train that caught fire in Howrah. The Howrah-Raxaul Express was headed for Mithila on 19th May. A dense layer of smoke engulfed the general compartment bathroom after which the scared passengers began to hurriedly flee. The flames even impacted some nearby trees. The event affected rail traffic throughout the route, disrupting at least 18 train schedules and some trains were halted at several stops.
The lavatory was similarly identified as the source of the initial flames on a Rajdhani Express train in Kota. A similar incident happened on an empty coach without a power generator in Sasaram. A burning object was suspected to be hurled inside by an unidentified individual.
The Thiruvananthapuram-Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express experienced similar circumstances in the Ratlam district of Madhya Pradesh on 17th May. The B-1 carriage of train number 12431, which was going from Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi, caught fire at approximately 5:15 in the morning between the Luni Richha and Vikramgarh Alot stations.
According to officials, the initial flames were observed from the coach’s washroom. It was asserted to have started around 110 kilometres from Ratlam. Fortunately, no casualties were reported as the coach holding 68 occupants was evacuated in 15 minutes. The Railways has conveyed, “Passengers are requested to remain alert and stay safe. And if any suspicious activity is noticed, immediately call Railway Helpline 139.” It also expressed commitment to uphold safety and security of the travellers.
