Suspected sabotage of railway line near Backnang – cables damaged

Impact on rail traffic

The specialized state security inspection unit at the Aalen Police Headquarters has taken over the investigation. The state security unit is responsible for politically motivated crimes, which suggests that the authorities are not ruling out a political background to the act.

Police are now examining whether there is a connection to other similar incidents in the region. In recent months, there have been repeated reports in Baden-Württemberg of damaged cables on railway lines, which were investigated as possible acts of sabotage.

State security investigation

Railway lines rely on continuous data and signal connections. If the control technology fails, trains can no longer operate normally, switches can no longer be set, and safety systems can fail. Even a small interruption can therefore have major effects on the entire rail network.

For the population, the outage was also noticeable in everyday life: mobile phones could temporarily not be used, and landline connections were also affected. Police recommend reporting any suspicious observations immediately.

The residents of Backnang expressed concern about the incident. Only when connections were gradually restored did the situation in the town return to normal.

Investigators secured traces at the scene and are now evaluating material from damaged cables as well as possible video footage. The goal is to identify the perpetrators and prevent comparable acts in the future.

Witnesses sought

At the same time, police once again called on witnesses to the incident to come forward. Anyone who observed suspicious persons or vehicles in the Maubach area or along the railway line during the relevant time is asked to provide their information.

The damage to the infrastructure has since been repaired. Rail traffic and telecommunications connections are running without restrictions again, according to police.