HUBBALLI: The villagers in Haveri district had a busy morning on Tuesday. They got everything possible from their homes after they found that the diesel from the railway engine started leaking.
The incident was reported near Yelvigi village in Haveri district when Hubballi-Bengaluru passenger train was travelling. After the leak was noticed the locomotive pilot halted the train and called for the help from Hubballi HQs.
As the Hubballi was getting ready to send an alternative engine and as well as team of technicians to fix the leak, the villagers thronged under the engine in which leak was reported. They started collecting the diesel in pots, bottles and boxes. Many households emptied the water vessels and got them filled with the diesel.
The officials from the South Western Railways (SWR) in Hubballi said that the reason for the leakage in under probe. "As soon as the engine leak was reported the Hubballi sent additional locomotive so that the train could begin the onward journey. We have received reports about people collecting the diesel from the engine. At times it could be dangerous and they have done despite warnings from the locomotive pilots," the official said.
An official from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) said that cases could be booked on the people who stole diesel from the railway engine. "When we reached the spot there were no people and most of them have transported the diesel from the engine area. There are some videos and photographs available and if the inquiry committee recommends, we shall file cases. A railway engine's diesel tank has a capacity of 5,000 litres," the RPF official added.