At least seven railway employees, including three railway employees arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on charges of dereliction of duty for the Balasore train accident in Odisha, have been suspended. A top official gave this information.
293 people died in the accident
On June 2, 293 people were killed and over 1,200 were injured in an accident involving three trains near Bahanga Bazar railway station in Balasore district. South Eastern Railway General Manager Anil Kumar Mishra told reporters, “If the officials were alert, the accident could have been avoided.”
CBI had arrested the suspended people
Mishra told reporters after visiting the accident site, “The Railways has so far suspended seven employees, including the three employees who were arrested by the CBI.” According to the rules, the arrested employee is suspended for 24 hours.
CBI court appearance of three employees
The CBI had arrested Senior Section Engineer (Signal) Arun Kumar Mahant, Section Engineer Mohammad Amir Khan and Technician Pappu Kumar. He has been taken into custody by the CBI for four more days from Wednesday. The three employees were produced before the designated CBI court here on Tuesday after completion of their five-day custody.
The Coromandel Express met with an accident on June 2.
Earlier, an inquiry conducted by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), South Eastern circle, revealed that the accident was caused by tampering with the signaling circuit at the station’s northern signal tower. On June 2, the Howrah-bound Coromandel Express collided with a stationary goods train on another line, derailing most of its coaches. Meanwhile, some coaches of the Coromandel Express overturned on the last few coaches of the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express passing at the same time, causing this horrific accident.
Balasore Rail Accident: Water looks like blood to some, while no one is hungry, NDRF personnel are being counselled. accident
