Not a single public witness showed up to depose before the Commissioner for Railway Safety on Thursday as the official inquiry into the Bangalore-Nanded Express accident, a granite-laden truck had rammed the train after breaking a level-crossing barrier, began.
The accident, which occurred on Monday past the Penukonda Junction in Anantapur district, claimed the lives of five people, including an MLA.
As part of the inquiry, a public notice was issued by the CRS who asked for people with information to come and depose before him on Thursday.
“No one came. We wrapped up the hearing a little while back,” said S.K. Mittal, CRS, on Thursday evening.
However, government officials and railway employees completed their depositions on Thursday. “We finished interviewing government and railway officials. I will submit a preliminary report on the incident,” Mr. Mittal said.
He appealed to the public who have information about the incident to depose. “If they cannot come here, they can always write to me. The preliminary report can always be modified if more information comes to light,” he said.
