58 detained for pulling train alarm chains as 86 Eastern Railway services delayed in May

Eastern Railway recorded 86 instances of alarm chain pulling in May, leading to significant delays across multiple train services and the detention of 58 passengers by the Railway Protection Force. According to railway officials, many passengers pulled emergency alarm chains for reasons unrelated to safety, including missing their destination stations, boarding the wrong train, attempting to get off after seeing off relatives, or stopping trains near their homes. The highest number of incidents was reported from the Asansol and Howrah divisions, where train operations were disrupted and schedules affected.

Railway data showed that four passengers each in the Asansol and Malda divisions pulled alarm chains when trains passed near their villages or residences. In separate cases, three passengers in Asansol and two in Howrah pulled the chain after waking up and realizing that their destination stations had already been crossed. Investigations also found ten cases of accidental alarm chain activation. In two incidents in the Asansol division, passengers reportedly hung heavy luggage from the alarm chain hook, resulting in emergency brake activation.

Officials further stated that two passengers in Asansol boarded trains to see off relatives and later pulled the chain after being unable to disembark before departure. In addition, four passengers in Asansol and two in Howrah activated the alarm chain after discovering they had boarded the wrong train. Railway authorities said the incidents delayed trains by an average of 13 minutes in the Asansol division and 14 minutes in the Howrah division, with delays reaching up to 17 minutes in parts of the Malda and Sealdah divisions. Railway officials reiterated that unauthorized alarm chain pulling is a punishable offense carrying a maximum penalty of one year of imprisonment, a fine of up to ₹1,000, or both.