Soft-pedalling probe into alleged sabotage bids

KASARGOD: The police are allegedly trying to divert the probe into the attempt made by certain terrorist elements to derail trains at Kumbla and Manjeswaram on two occasions on September 12 and 23.Central Intelligence Bureau chief Harisene Varam had taken up the issue with state police chief Jacob Punnoose. But the Manjeswaram and Kumbla police are still soft-pedalling the investigation, it is alleged.The police said a hexameter was placed across the track near the Vamanchur bridge near Manjeswaram during day time on September 23 while a stone weighing 8 kg was placed near the Kumbla station on September 12, also during day time. However, according to intelligence sources, there was clear evidence to show that the hexameter and the stone were placed on the track at night with the intention of derailing the Express trains coming from Mangalore around 9.30 pm.The intelligence sources alleged that the local police were trying to divert the investigation to save extremist elements. Kannur range DIG S Sreejith told Express that an investigation was on to trace the culprits.