Youtuber Gulzar Sheikh caught sabotaging rail tracks; Netizens question motives amid 334 attempts reported in 5 years

On July 30, at approximately 3:45 a.m., a tragic accident occurred near Chakradharpur in Jharkhand when several coaches of the Howrah-CSMT Express derailed. The derailment resulted in the deaths of two people. The exact cause of the derailment is under investigation, with authorities working to determine the factors that contributed to the accident and to prevent future occurrences.

Amid a spate of recent rail accidents, a video of YouTuber Gulzar Sheikh has gone viral, showing him placing random objects on railway tracks for monetary gain. The act has ignited widespread outrage on social media platforms. Notably, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala has condemned this conduct as “no less than an act of terror” and has promised a fight for legal action.

Demands for legal action

Poonawala took to X (formerly Twitter) to demand Sheikh be charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) to set an example and deter others from engaging in similar actions.

Poonawala wrote, “Identify these anti-nationals who create railway accidents. There have been several instances of sabotage, signals being covered with paper, and deliberate obstacles being put on tracks. Look at Gulzar Sheikh, putting stones, cycles, and obstacles on rail tracks. God knows who else and how many such elements are doing it to cause train accidents. I urge for urgent action @AshwiniVaishnaw ji @RailMinIndia @Uppolice @dgpup @myogiadityanath @MrityunjayUP.”

Poonawala also thanked the legal advocacy group @legalhindudef for pursuing the case and reiterated his commitment to taking up the matter with the Ministry of Railways and Ashwini Vaishnaw.

Another handle, Trains of India, highlighted the severity of the situation by sharing Sheikh’s details and urging authorities to take strict action. “This is Mr Gulzar Sheikh from Lalgopalganj, UP, who puts random things in front of trains for YouTube money. He is putting the lives of thousands of passengers in danger,” the handle stated. They further shared Sheikh’s social media links to support their claim.

Many others have criticised the actions of this YouTuber and are calling for investigations and interventions to prevent such practices. Sheikh reportedly created reel videos by deliberately obstructing railway tracks to gain views, likes, and ultimately monetary rewards. In the past, many such videos have emerged showing stones, bricks, rods, nails, and other objects placed on the tracks.

Notably, following Poonawala’s complaint, the accused Sheikh has been arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police on August 1.

Gulzar Indian Hacker

An examination of Sheikh’s YouTube channel, “Gulzar Indian Hacker,” reveals a troubling array of videos and shorts depicting him placing various items on railway tracks. Despite occasional disclaimers warning viewers not to replicate his dangerous stunts, his content consistently features these risky actions. The channel, which has over 243 videos, includes one short that has garnered 15 million views. It boasts more than 235,000 subscribers and a total view count of over 137 million.

The earliest recorded instance of this hazardous behaviour dates back to January 2024, when Sheikh placed earbuds on the tracks. Subsequent videos show him placing a 500-gram weight and an axe on the tracks, further highlighting his blatant disregard for safety.

334 sabotage attempts in 5 years

In June 2023, Organiser reported that Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed Parliament of 334 cases of attacks or sabotage on trains in the past five years (up to 2022). The breakdown of these incidents shows 83 cases in 2018, 66 in 2019, 45 in 2020, 59 in 2021, and 81 in 2022, with at least nine incidents resulting in train derailments.

Recent incidents highlight the severity of railway sabotage:

1. On June 1, 2023, just two months after the Elathur train arson, a parked train was set ablaze at Kannur railway station in the early hours.
2. In April 2023, Maharashtra Police and central intelligence apprehended Shahrukh Saifi, the prime suspect in the Kerala train fire that killed three and injured nine.
3. In March 2023, the Vande Bharat Express was targeted with stones in West Bengal near Farrakka, damaging window panes.
4. In February 2023, stones were thrown at a Vande Bharat train travelling to Dadhapara in Chhattisgarh, causing significant damage.
5. On February 10, 2023, the Vande Bharat Express between Secunderabad and Visakhapatnam was attacked by miscreants in Telangana.
6. On January 20, 2023, stones were hurled at the New Jalpaiguri-Howrah Vande Bharat Express in Bihar’s Katihar.
7. The Howrah-New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express was also damaged by stone pelting in Malda district, West Bengal, shortly after its launch on January 2, 2023.
8. In December 2022, the Vande Bharat Express (20826) was targeted by unidentified individuals who threw stones at it between Nagpur and Bilaspur.
9. On February 20, 2019, stones were thrown at the Vande Bharat train en route to Varanasi, near Hirangaon railway station.

Indian Railways reported over 1,500 cases of stone pelting on moving trains in 2022 alone, leading to more than 400 arrests by 2022.

In October 2023, railway employees in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Maharashtra, averted a disaster by discovering large rocks placed on the tracks during routine maintenance. Similarly, on October 2, the driver of the Vande Bharat Express from Udaipur to Jaipur avoided a potential derailment by using the emergency brake.

On June 13, 2023, Organiser reported the arrest of two individuals near Thalassery railway station in Kannur, Kerala, for attempting to cut a railway signal cable. Additionally, Karamana police arrested Karthikeyan from Tamil Nadu on April 18, 2023, for stealing a railway cable valued at approximately Rs 1.5 lakh.

Many like Gulzar are roaming free

Following the recent expose, numerous netizens have voiced concerns about the motives behind the sabotage of railway tracks. The disturbing revelations have led to a surge of questions regarding the intentions of those involved in these dangerous activities. Social media users and online communities are now calling for decisive and stringent measures to address and prevent such acts of sabotage. They are demanding that authorities take firm action against the perpetrators to ensure the safety and security of the railways and to deter others from engaging in similar activities.

The troubling trend extends beyond Gulzar Sheikh’s channel. Channels such as Train Experiments feature 241 videos showcasing various items—like brake blocks, watermelons, needles, keys, stones, and even toy hand grenades—being placed on railway tracks. This channel alone has amassed over 29 million views.

Other channels, including Mr. Saps Shorts, Train Vs. Everything, Karan Train Experiment, RJ Facts, and Murmu Shorts 143, also engage in similar perilous activities. These channels jeopardise countless lives in their quest for internet fame.