Mon Jul 14 10:39:42 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text and a news article based on it:
**Summary:**
Two separate incidents occurred near Valapattanam, India, involving obstructions placed on railway tracks. In the first, two 12-year-old students placed stones on the track; they were apprehended, counselled, and released. The second, more serious incident involved a concrete slab placed on the track, which was run over by a train. The investigation into the slab incident is ongoing and hampered by a lack of CCTV footage. Authorities are concerned about a rising trend of teenagers and others engaging in dangerous behaviour near railway lines, including throwing stones at trains and placing objects on the tracks.
**News Article:**
**Teen Prank, Potential Sabotage Raise Railway Safety Concerns in Kannur**
**Kannur, India – July 14, 2025** – Authorities in Kannur are investigating two separate incidents involving obstructions placed on railway tracks near Valapattanam, raising concerns about safety and potential sabotage.
In the first incident, stones were discovered on the track near the Valapattanam bridge on Saturday evening. Police investigations revealed that two 12-year-old students were responsible. The children were apprehended, counselled about the dangers of their actions, and released to their parents with a warning.
More seriously, a concrete slab was found on the tracks near the Valapattanam station early Friday morning. The Kochuveli-Bhavnagar Express ran over the slab before the loco pilot noticed the obstruction. A special police team, supervised by Kannur ACP Pradeepan Kannipoyil, is currently investigating. The investigation is facing challenges due to the absence of CCTV footage from the area, known to be frequented by drug users and migrant workers.
“The placement of this slab is very concerning and could have had catastrophic consequences,” stated a police spokesperson.
Authorities are increasingly worried about a pattern of reckless behavior near railway lines, particularly among teenagers. There have been several reported incidents of schoolchildren throwing stones at trains, with passengers lodging complaints about projectiles launched from nearby playgrounds. Similar sabotage attempts involving iron rods and stones placed on tracks have been reported in the past, sometimes involving migrant workers. In 2022, six minors were arrested for placing stones between Trikkaripur and Payyannur stations.
Police urge parents and community leaders to emphasize the dangers of such activities to prevent future incidents. The investigation into the concrete slab incident is ongoing.
First Piper 