Indian Railways is investigating after a freight train travelled 80 kilometres without a driver.
The goods train with 53 carriages carrying gravel started rolling downhill on the tracks in the hilly Kathua region of Jammu and Kashmir and was halted in Hoshiarpur district in neighbouring Punjab on Sunday.
It had picked up a speed of 100kph at one point and was brought to a halt by wooden blocks placed on the tracks.
The train reportedly started rolling off when the driver and assistant disembarked for a crew change in Kathua.
Indian Railways suspended six officials and ordered an investigation.
“An inquiry has been initiated to know the exact cause of the incident,” Prateek Srivastava, traffic manager for Jammu, said. "Prima facie, it seems that the train started rolling down the slope gradient towards Punjab without the driver and his assistant."
The train passed through five stations and all railway crossings on the route were immediately closed to prevent accidents, senior officer Gaurav Singh said.
Overhead power cables were also switched off and all service tracks were cleared to make way for the runaway train.
A video of the driverless freight train speeding through a station has gone viral on social media.
Mishaps are common on India's railway network, the world's second-largest, mainly due to ageing infrastructure.
In June, nearly 300 passengers were killed in a three-train crash.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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Where to buy art books in the UAE
There are a number of speciality art bookshops in the UAE.
In Dubai, The Lighthouse at Dubai Design District has a wonderfully curated selection of art and design books. Alserkal Avenue runs a pop-up shop at their A4 space, and host the art-book fair Fully Booked during Art Week in March. The Third Line, also in Alserkal Avenue, has a strong book-publishing arm and sells copies at its gallery. Kinokuniya, at Dubai Mall, has some good offerings within its broad selection, and you never know what you will find at the House of Prose in Jumeirah. Finally, all of Gulf Photo Plus’s photo books are available for sale at their show.
In Abu Dhabi, Louvre Abu Dhabi has a beautiful selection of catalogues and art books, and Magrudy’s – across the Emirates, but particularly at their NYU Abu Dhabi site – has a great selection in art, fiction and cultural theory.
In Sharjah, the Sharjah Art Museum sells catalogues and art books at its museum shop, and the Sharjah Art Foundation has a bookshop that offers reads on art, theory and cultural history.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
