Bhubaneswar: At least seven railway employees, including the three arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), were suspended in connection with the triple train crash at Bahanaga in Odisha’s Balasore district on June 2, a top official said. All seven employees have been suspended with immediate effect, said Anil Kumar Mishra, South-Eastern Railway (SER) General Manager on Wednesday.
Nearly 300 people lost their lives and over 1,200 were injured in the triple train collision in Odisha near Bahanaga Bazar railway station in Balasore district. While speaking to reporters, 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 senior Railway officials also visited Gopinathpur railway station with BJP MP Pratap Sarangi. Earlier this month, the CBI arrested three Railway officials – senior Section engineer (signal) Arun Kumar Mohanta, section engineer Mohammad Amir Khan and technician Pappu Kumar. They have been charged under Sections 304 and 201 of CrPC. The three have been taken on another four-day remand by the CBI in the case. Besides this, they attempted to hide the evidence related to the accident, the reports said. The three employees were produced in the CBI designated court here after completion of their 5-day remand on Tuesday.
The inquiry report of the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), South Eastern Circle had stated that the deadly train mishap at Bahanaga Station occurred due to lapses in the signaling circuit alteration carried out at the North Signal Goomty (of the station) in the past. Two superfast trains – Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express and Bengaluru-Howrah Express – and a goods train were involved in a rare collision on June 2. 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.
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