7 Railways Employees Suspended A Month After Odisha Train Tragedy

The CBI had earlier arrested senior Section Engineer (signal) Arun Kumar Mahanta, Section Engineer Mohammed Amir Khan and Technician Pappu Kumar.

Seven employees of the Indian Railways were suspended on the charge of dereliction of duty.

Source : PTI

New Delhi: A month after the triple train crash in Odisha, at least seven employees of the Indian Railways, including three employees arrested by the CBI, were suspended on the charge of dereliction of duty which led to the deadly accident, a top official said, reported PTI.

The accident, one of the deadliest in India's history, involved the Chennai-bound Coromandel Express from Shalimar, the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and a stationary goods train. The accident took place near the Bahanaga Bazar railway station on June 2, leaving 293 people dead and more than 1,000 injured.

Speaking to reporters, South Eastern Railway’s General Manager Anil Kumar Mishra said, “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,” Mishra told reporters after visiting the accident site.

The CBI had earlier arrested senior Section Engineer (signal) Arun Kumar Mahanta, Section Engineer Mohammed Amir Khan and Technician Pappu Kumar under Sections 304 and 201 of CrPC, the penal code sections related to culpable homicide.

They have been taken on another four-day remand by the CBI from Wednesday.

The three employees were produced in the CBI-designated court 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 signaling circuit alteration at the North Signal Goomty of the station.

The Railway Board had recommended a CBI probe into the accident following which on June 6, the CBI took over the investigation.

The accident took place when the Howrah-bound Coromandel Express hit a stationary freight train, jumped off the tracks, and hit another passenger train coming from the opposite direction.

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.