Boulders found on rail tracks near Pune city, driver of incoming train alerted on time
Pune(PTI): Miscreants placed boulders on rail tracks between Akurdi and Chinchwad stations near Pune city on Friday, but they were spotted on time and the driver of a Mumbai-bound express train coming on the line was alerted, thus averting a tragedy, officials said.
An alert guard on a Pune-bound suburban train running on the parallel tracks spotted the boulders and informed the Chinchwad station master.
The station master of Chinchwad, upon receiving the information, alerted the loco pilot (driver) of 16352 UP Nagarcoil-Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) Express coming on the tracks. The train was halted until the boulders were removed from the tracks, said the Railway officials.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Government Railway Police (GRP) have launched a probe to identity the miscreants responsible for the act.
"Guard Sandip Bhalerao on a Lonavala-Pune suburban train spotted the boulders on the adjacent UP tracks and informed the station master of Chinchwad. The station master immediately contacted the loco pilot of UP Nagarcoil-Mumbai CSMT Express, and the train was halted till the time the boulders were removed," said a senior Railway official.
Timely detection by Railway staff of this act by miscreants averted the possibility of a major tragedy, he stated.
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National Synodal Assembly 2026 begins in Bengaluru with over 220 delegates
Bengaluru: The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) on May 1 inaugurated its National Synodal Assembly 2026 at St. John’s Medical College, bringing together more than 220 delegates from across the country under the theme Synodal Pilgrims of Hope.
The assembly is part of the global synodal process initiated in 2021 by Pope Francis, which calls for greater participation, dialogue and shared responsibility within the Church. In India, the process has involved consultations at diocesan, regional and national levels.
Participants at the assembly include two Cardinals, 25 Bishops, 65 priests, more than 20 women religious, and over 100 lay faithful, including youth and women leaders.
The gathering began with a Eucharistic celebration led by Filipe Neri Ferrão. In his homily, he described the assembly as a moment of grace and discernment and called on delegates to walk together in prayer, listening and missionary commitment.
He spoke about the importance of the Risen Christ in the mission of the Church and urged the faithful to be witnesses of the Gospel. Referring to the conversion of St Paul, he said every baptised person has a role in spreading the message of Christ. He also highlighted the example of St Joseph the Worker, stressing the dignity of labour and the call to holiness in everyday life.
The formal inauguration included the invocation of the Holy Spirit through Veni Creator Spiritus and the lighting of the ceremonial lamp. Deputy Secretary General Fr. Stephen Alathara welcomed the delegates and described the gathering as a spiritual journey.
In his presidential address, Cardinal Ferrão referred to the CCBI pastoral plan titled Journeying Towards a Synodal Church: Mission 2033 and called on participants to build on the vision outlined at the 36th Plenary Assembly held in Bhubaneswar in 2025.
Delegates will reflect on four key themes identified from 16 pastoral priorities: interreligious dialogue and peacebuilding, inclusion of the excluded, poverty and integral ecology, and support for children and youth.
The discussions are being conducted through a method of spiritual conversation aimed at encouraging listening, dialogue and collective decision-making. The focus is on translating these discussions into practical actions within the Church.
The assembly also looks ahead to the Jubilee Year 2033, which will mark 2,000 years of the Redemption, and aims to strengthen the Church’s mission in the coming years.
Further consultations are scheduled for September 2026, with the process expected to conclude at the 38th Plenary Assembly of the CCBI in January 2027.
Organisers said the assembly seeks to strengthen unity within the Church and promote participation of all sections, including women and youth, in shaping its future direction.
