Deliberate cable sabotage near Stuttgart disrupts rail traffic
German police are almost certain that cables near Baknang were cut deliberately. The investigation is being led by the counter-terrorism unit.
Railway sabotage near Stuttgart: police speak of deliberate act
Google News LT — Crime (lt) reports that German police have little doubt: several railway line cables in the Rems-Murr district, near the town of Baknang in Baden-Württemberg, were cut intentionally. The incident has disrupted train traffic, internet and telephone connections in the city, which has a population of 38,000 people.
The severed cables were discovered in a concrete shaft beneath a bridge next to the tracks, between Baknang and Maubach district. The line was closed for approximately from Sunday midnight until Monday 3.30 a.m. local time, while repair work was carried out.
A police spokesperson ruled out the accidental damage version. "At first glance it did not appear that an excavator caused this by accident," he said. "It appears that someone cut them deliberately," the officer added.
Construction work as a possible cause has also been essentially ruled out — both by police and by railway operator "Deutsche Bahn" representatives. According to a railway spokesperson, no construction work was being carried out on the affected section. Due to the damaged cables, the so-called red lighting activated on the line — a signal indicating that the section is occupied or blocked by a railway vehicle.
The investigation is being led by a specialised counter-terrorism and state security unit. Possible tool marks were found in the shaft beneath the bridge, and investigators have been searching for DNA evidence. The number of trains affected by the incident has not yet been determined.
Investigators are appealing to witnesses who may have noticed suspicious activity in the field or on footpaths. Police are also asking for information about individuals who may have been noticed carrying tools.
Source: Google News LT — Crime (lt)