Runaway Indian train travels 70km without driver

By Meryl Sebastian, Kochi, Feb 26: The Indian Railways has ordered an investigation after a freight train travelled more than 70km (43.4 miles) without drivers.

Videos shared on social media showed the train zooming past several stations at high speed.

Reports say the train ran without a driver from Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir to Hoshiarpur district in Punjab on Sunday.

The railways say the train was brought to a halt and no one was hurt.

Officials told the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency that the incident took place between 07:25 and 09:00 local time (01:55 and 3:30 GMT) on Sunday.

The 53-wagon train, carrying chip stones, was on its way to Punjab from Jammu when it stopped in Kathua for a change in crew.

Officials say it began moving down a slope on the railway tracks after the train driver and his assistant got off.

The train moved at a speed of nearly 100km/h and managed to cross about five stations before it was stopped.

Soon after being alerted about the moving train, officials closed off railway crossings along its path.

"The train was stopped after a railway official placed wood blocks on the tracks to stop the train," officials told PTI.

The wooden blocks helped reduce the speed of the train.

Officials told PTI they are trying to identify the exact reason for the train's movement after it stopped at Kathua to avoid such incidents in the future.