In a scene somewhat similar to Hollywood movies Runaway Train and Unstoppable, an unmanned train engine covered 29 km from India to Nepal on Monday. Utpal Parashar reports.
In a scene somewhat similar to Hollywood movies Runaway Train and Unstoppable, an unmanned train engine covered 29 km from India to Nepal on Monday.
The diesel locomotive covered the distance from Jaynagar in Bihar on the Indo-Nepal border to Janakpur, the mythical birthplace of Lord Ram’s wife Sita in Dhanusha district of Nepal, in 45 minutes.
Operated by Nepal Railways Corporation, the Jaynagar-Janakpur narrow gauge stretch is part of the only functional train network in Nepal covering 53 km used by passengers to reach the sacred Hindu site.
Though the passenger train takes two and half hours to traverse the distance at 10 km per hour, on Monday the engine sped at over 50 km per hour as railway officials watched in horror.
It chugged past many bridges, pools and seven stations for 45 harrowing minutes before being diverted to an unused track in Janakpur railway station and brought to a halt by placing obstructions.
The train’s driver had got down at Jaynagar to quench his thirst while leaving the engine on neutral transmission mode when it started moving.
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Despite authorities learning about the incident immediately, they failed to stop the engine due to lack of manpower and equipment. It covered three kilometers before entering Nepal.
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Despite authorities learning about the incident immediately, they failed to stop the engine due to lack of manpower and equipment. It covered three kilometers before entering Nepal.
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“The episode could have ended in a serious crash if we had not placed obstructions,” Maniraj Khatiwada, station manager at Janakpur told The Kathmandu Post.
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.
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