The Hindu : Case against drivers of Golconda Express

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Saturday, Jul 05, 2003

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Case against drivers of Golconda Express

By Our Staff Reporter

WARANGAL JULY 4. The Warangal district police have booked a case against the two drivers of the Golconda Express and the `Railway officials concerned' holding them responsible for Wednesday's accident.

According to sources, the Mills Colony police station received a complaint from one A. Devender who lost his nephew, A. Gnaneshwar, in the accident. Police registered a case under the Indian Penal Code Section 304 (A) (FIR No 156/2003), dealing with death due to negligence.

However, the names of the Railway officials concerned did not figure in the list and the sources said they would be named in the chargesheet later. Since more that three persons were killed in the accident, an investigation would be conducted by an official of the rank of DSP.

Amid conflicting versions of the cause of the accident, the Commissioner of Railway Saftey, R.P. Agarwal, began a preliminary inquiry at the Kazipet station today.

He held discussions with the local Railway officials and examined the technical aspects of the engine's condition and the braking system among others.

Mr. Agarwal will conduct a public hearing at the Warangal Railway station on July 5 and 6 where individuals and interested groups may relate their versions. All operating staff, the Permanent Way Inspector, the Train Examiner and those in the electrical and mechanical wings were asked to be on duty during the inquiry.

Meanwhile, senior Railway officials of Warangal station have objected to being questioned about why they had diverted the train into a loop line.

An officer on a condition of anonymity said, "any train carrying passengers which has a stop at the station has to be diverted onto a track that ends with a sand hump under a rule in vogue since British rule".

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