Around 38,000 residents of the town of Backnang, northeast of Stuttgart, were left without internet and telephone service after an incident that affected the area’s rail network. The incident also caused disruption to train services, and German police have launched an investigation into possible sabotage.
According to authorities, unidentified people entered a concrete well near the railway line between Backnang and the Maubach neighborhood on Sunday afternoon, where they allegedly cut several cables with work tools.
The investigation has been taken over by the state security unit, which is examining all tracks. It is not yet known how many trains were affected by the incident and how long the disruptions to traffic have lasted.
The police do not completely rule out the possibility that legal construction work was carried out in the area. However, they say that in such cases, the railway company Deutsche Bahn would have been notified in advance.
Meanwhile, authorities have urged citizens who may have seen suspicious movement or activity near the railway tracks to contact the police.