Patna: Rail services on a key section of the Delhi–Howrah route were severely disrupted for several hours on Tuesday after unidentified intruders broke into a signalling facility near Khagaul level crossing in the Danapur Railway Division and severed critical cables, officials said.
The incident, which occurred near the Route Relay Interlocking (RRI) room at the eastern end of Danapur station, led to a complete breakdown of signalling operations from early morning until midday. Railway officials said more than 13 trains were delayed or stranded across stations on the Buxar–Ara–Patna section, affecting thousands of passengers.
According to railway sources, the intruders forced open the lock of the RRI room during the early hours and cut signalling cables, reportedly removing copper components before fleeing the scene. The damage triggered an immediate signal failure alarm, prompting staff intervention. The suspects escaped before they could be apprehended.
Train movement on both up and down lines came to a halt or operated at heavily reduced speed between around 7am and noon. Several long-distance and passenger services, including Jan Sadharan Express, Jan Shatabdi Express and Magadh Express, were delayed by up to five hours.
Passengers reported congestion and disruption at multiple stations, with some trains held at intermediate points such as Ara and Bihta for extended periods. In at least one instance, passengers waiting at Bihta reportedly protested after prolonged delays.
Railway officials said emergency repair work was undertaken by the Signal and Telecom department of the Danapur division. As restoration work continued, trains were allowed to pass using manual clearance procedures, significantly slowing operations.
Services gradually began returning to normal by the afternoon after the damaged cables were repaired.
A senior official of the Danapur division said operations were disrupted due to damage to signalling infrastructure and that teams were deployed immediately to restore services. The railway administration expressed regret for the inconvenience caused to passengers.
The Railway Protection Force has registered a case against unidentified persons and launched an investigation. Officials said nearby scrap dealers were being checked and CCTV footage and other forensic evidence were under review. A dog squad was also deployed as part of the search operation.
Security arrangements at the RRI facility have come under scrutiny following the breach at the sensitive signalling installation.
