In a case involving a significant security breach, the Kozhikode Railway Protection Force (RPF) arrested two individuals for stealing a railway signal cable at Poovadan Gate. The suspects, Manowar Ali (37) and Abbas Ali (47), both natives of Assam, were apprehended while cutting and removing the cables, which resulted in major disruptions to the railway signaling system.
The RPF seized a 12-metre-long stolen signal cable and the hacksaw blade used in the theft. The accused had rented an old house near Paravanthala, Vadakara, where they operated a scrap business. Manowar Ali was caught cutting the cable at Poovadan Gate, which disrupted the signaling system between Vadakara and Mahe on Friday morning, leading to delays for approximately ten trains.
The suspects were detained shortly after an on-site inspection by RPF officers. The stolen cable and the blade used to cut it were recovered from a nearby junk shop run by the two men. They admitted to the theft after the officers found the wire pieces in their possession.
According to railway officials, the incident had a severe impact on the service schedule of ten trains. The signaling system between Vadakara and Mahe was completely disrupted, causing significant delays and inconvenience to passengers.
Police sources revealed that the suspects were unaware of the cable’s importance in the signaling system, believing it to be an abandoned connection buried under the soil. They intended to resell the cable as scrap.
Upon receiving information about the incident, the RPF team conducted a thorough inspection of the location. During the inspection near the railway track, they apprehended Manowar Ali and found a portion of the cable in his possession. A subsequent search at their scrap business premises revealed the remaining portion of the cable, leading to their arrest.
