Observing that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is best suited to probe criminal cases, West Bengal Chief Minister on Monday sought to know why the investigation into the Odisha train accident was being handed over to the central agency
“CBI investigates criminal cases. This is an accident case. We want people to know the truth not have the truth supressed,” Ms. Banerjee said.
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The former Railway Minister said that during her tenure she asked the CBI to probe the Gyaneshwari Express accident, but the probe has not concluded even 12 years later.
“There is a Railway Safety Commission, which usually probes these incidents,” the Trinamool Congress chairperson said.
Ms Banerjee postponed her visit to north Bengal and paid homage to the deceased in the railway accident. Three bodies were brought to a police outpost on Vivekananda Setu from Odisha and the Chief Minister offered wreaths. “Dead bodies of 90 people have already been identified, while we are working to identify the remaining and are working with the Odisha government,” she said. The Chief Minister also visited the state run SSKM Hospital in Kolkata to meet with injured passengers.
Second visit to Odisha
Ms. Banerjee said that she will visit Cuttack in Odisha tomorrow where 53 patients from West Bengal have been admitted.
“I will be traveling to Cuttack tomorrow as there are around 53 patients from Bengal, who are still being treated there. Of them, 30 are in critical condition. In total, there are around 206 patients, native to Bengal, who are still being treated in hospitals across Odisha and Bengal,” she said. This will be the Trinamool Congress chairperson’s second visit to the state, she visited the accident site near Balasore on June 3. On that visit she questioned the authorites on why anti-collision devices were not installed in the trains while Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav watched.
Jobs to kin of the deceased
The West Bengal government has already announced Rs 5 lakh compensation to next of kin of the deceased along with Rs 1 lakh for severely injured and Rs 25,000 for patients with minor injuries. On Monday the Chief Minister announced that jobs as Home Guard in West Bengal police will be given to the family members of those who have died as well as those who have lost their limbs in the accident. The State government has also announced Rs 10,000 to every resident of the State who was travelling by the trains that met with the accident on June 2.
“Right now, I am more focused on helping the families who have lost their loved ones and restoring the livelihood of those injured. There are still 120-odd dead bodies that are yet to be identified,” she said.
