Indian Railways suspended seven of its staff days after the CRS report came on the Balasore train tragedy which claimed the lives of 293 people. On-duty station master, a traffic inspector and a technician, along with those who were arrested by the CBI have been suspended.
South Eastern Railway’s General Manager Anil Kumar Mishra, told reporters, “Had the officials been alert, the accident could have been avoided. The railways have so far suspended seven employees, including three who were arrested by the CBI. According to norms, an employee arrested for 24 hours stands suspended.”
As many as 293 people were killed and over 1,200 injured in the triple train collision near Bahanaga Bazar railway station in Balasore district on June 2.
The CBI has arrested senior Section Engineer (signal) Arun Kumar Mahanta, Section Engineer Mohammed Amir Khan and Technician Pappu Kumar. They are from the signalling department and were posted in Odisha’s Balasore district. They were questioned several times since the probe agency took over the case on June 6.
According to the CBI statement, the trio has been held for their involvement in crimes under IPC sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 201 (destruction of evidence), and Section 153 of the Railways Act.
The three employees have been taken on another four-day remand by the CBI from Wednesday. They were produced in the CBI-designated court here after completion of their 5-day remand on Tuesday.
Earlier, the probe conducted by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), South Eastern Circle, revealed that the accident took place due to lapses in the signalling circuit alteration at the North Signal Goomty of the station.
The Howrah-bound Coromandel Express crashed into a stationary goods train, derailing most of its coaches on June 2. The accident involved three trains – the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express, Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and a stationary goods train.
A few coaches of Coromandel Express toppled over the last few coaches of the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express which was passing by at the same time.
(With PTI inputs)
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