Khanewal [Pakistan], June 20 : At least 17 passengers were injured on Friday near Khanewal Railway Station when an attempted theft of a railway pole ladder led to an accident, ARY News reported.
According to rescue officials, passengers aboard the Awam Express and Musa Express trains sustained injuries to their hands and arms. The injured included women, elderly passengers, and children. They were quickly transported to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
ARY News citing sources reported that unidentified thieves had attempted to steal an iron ladder attached to an electric signal pole near the railway track. During the theft attempt, the ladder was dislodged and came dangerously close to the track, hitting the passing trains.
At the time of the incident, no railway officials were present at Khanewal Railway Station, sources told ARY News. The Pakistan Railways administration has launched a formal investigation into the incident.
Meanwhile, earlier on February 10, a gang of bandits attacked Gambat railway station, taken the station staff as hostage and rob cash from them, ARY News reported, citing local police.
The outlaws stormed Gambat railway station in Khairpur district of Sindh and took the station staff as hostage and forced them to surrender cash and other valuables.
The dacoits opened fire on resistance and injured a point man of the railway station.
The gangs of bandits operating in the katcha area of Sindh's nothern districts, involved in rampant killings, kidnapping for ransom and other heinour crimes in the region.
Police and Rangers in a joint operation in katcha area of Ghotki and arrested a facilitator of Chandi Shari, Morio Shar gangs of bandits.
Accused Fahim was working for facilitation of the bandit gangs in crimes, a Rangers spokesman told ARY News.
"Four SMGs with magazine and 500 rounds of sub-machine guns were recovered from the arrested man," according to spokesman.
Five mobile phones and a tractor snatched from the Sui Southern Gas Company's (SSGC) staff was also recovered.