Kaduthuruthy: The Vivek Express from Kanyakumari to Dibrugarh was held up at Appanchira near the Vaikom Road station after a snake got entangled in the pantograph. The pantograph is the equipment that connects the loco to the power lines. When the snake entered the equipment, the train came to a stop.
The incident took place around 8.15 am on the Kottayam – Ernakulam track on Wednesday. The train was entering the platform no: 1 of the station at that time.
Railway staff found that it was snake that had brought the train to a halt only after a long inspection. Though they tried to remove the snake, their efforts failed.
Later, other employees arrived at the spot from Kottayam in the Palaruvi Express and they disentangled the snake from the pantograph and the overhead electrical cable.
It is believed that the snake had fallen over the train from the bridge on the Kottayam – Ernakulam road near Vaikom Road station. Though Vivek Express was detained, the other trains passing through the station continued their trips along the first track and were not delayed, said railway officials.
