On February 25, the Railway authorities initiated an investigation following an incident where an unmanned freight train covered a distance of over 70 km from Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir to Hoshiarpur district in Punjab.

On Sunday, an unmanned diesel goods train, consisting of 53 wagons and loaded with cargo, traveled approximately 80 kilometers from Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir to a village in Hoshiarpur district, Punjab. A video of the freight train, allegedly moving without a driver and reaching speeds of 100 kilometers per hour (kmph), went viral on social media. Fortunately, emergency brakes were applied to bring the train to a halt, preventing a potentially serious train accident.

It is speculated by sources that the individual involved might not have engaged the brakes before leaving the cabin. Consequently, the train began moving towards Punjab as the track inclines in the direction of Pathankot.

Railway authorities have confirmed that the train was successfully stopped, and there were no reported injuries. According to officials speaking to the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency, the incident occurred between 07:25 and 09:00 local time (01:55 and 3:30 GMT) on Sunday. The use of wooden blocks played a role in slowing down the train. Officials informed PTI that efforts are underway to determine the precise cause behind the train's unintended movement after its stop in Kathua, intending to prevent similar incidents.

As per reports quoting Railway Police ASI Gurdev Singh, all railway crossings along the route were swiftly closed for road traffic, and diverse mechanical techniques were employed to slow down the train.