A major rail mishap was averted on Sunday when a 53-wagon freight train ran at high speed for approximately 80 km on a busy track without a loco driver.
It was a nightmarish experience for the railway staff who took emergency measures and shut all rail crossing gates on the route to prevent any accident.
The train reportedly started running suddenly on its own from Kathua in the Jammu division and was finally stopped in the Hoshiarpur district of Punjab.
The railways have ordered an inquiry into the incident.
Authorities confirmed that the goods train was stopped at Uchhi Pind near Dasuya after applying emergency brakes while it was running at a speed of 100 km.
A video of the train running without a driver went viral on social media. No casualty or damage has been reported.
Railway authorities remained on their toes between 7.25 am to 9 pm when the train propelled by the natural slope started running from the Kathua station.
Officers from the Ferozpur Railway Division have reached the spot to investigate the serious negligence.
Top authorities of the Northern Railways have reportedly taken serious note of the lapse on the track that links Jammu with New Delhi, Kolkata, and various other important routes.