Railway worker suspected of sabotage in train derailment
Print Edition
A RAILWAY worker in northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province is being held by police in connection with the derailment of a train early on Sunday that left 15 people injured.
Wu Zhenjin, a 45-year-old track maintenance worker in Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang, is suspected of intentionally removing a 12-meter piece of track from the line.
The K7034 service from Heihe to Harbin derailed at just after 3:15am at Hailun County in Suihua City.
The suspect was identified within a day, a police officer involved in the case told China Business Morning Post.
Officers noted that the track had been removed intact, indicating that this was carried out by someone with insider skills and tools. This led investigators to focus on railway staff.
“The bolts securing the track to the sleeper could only have been undone using professional tools,” said the police officer.
As a member of the track maintenance division, Wu had rushed to the accident site to conduct urgent repairs, said the report.
Wu had previously been chief of a track maintenance team, but his contract in that role was not renewed when it expired about six months ago.
The newspaper speculated that this may have left the railway man bearing a grudge.
According to police, Wu had initially denied involvement, but his statement was riddled with inconsistencies. Wu gave contradictory answers to questions such as whether he was at home when the accident happened, said officers.
Eventually, he admitted sabotaging the track, according to police.
Police brought Wu from the accident site where he was working repairing the track back to Harbin.
According to police, Wu planned the act of sabotage in advance and acted alone.
Colleagues expressed surprise that Wu had been held. They said he has worked for the Harbin railway bureau for many years and seemed to have a happy family life.
A Harbin railway police officer said that the accident is still under investigation.
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