The braking system of a passenger train was found tampered with on Thursday at Nilambur in Malappuram district.
The vacuum hose pipes, which form part of the braking system, was found cut off in the Nilambur—Shornur passenger train at Nilabur station in the morning, according to railway and police sources.
The damage caused to the braking system linking all the compartments of the train was found by the engine driver during the pre-flag-off check up before the train was to start at 6.45 am.
According to authorities, it is not easy to sever the strong hose pipes unless they were cut of either by a strong saw blade or with a sharp hatchet.
The passenger train had come from Shornur last night at 9.30 for overnight halt and the sabotage might have taken place in the night itself, the sources said.
