A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered at the Balasore Government Railway Police station alleging that ‘negligence’ led to the massive train accident claiming hundreds of lives near the Bahanaga station.
Following the filing of a complaint by Papu Kumar Naik, Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police, a case has been registered under Sections 337, 338, 304-A and 34 of the IPC and 153,154 and 175 of the Railway Act, 1989.
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“Due to collision of 12841 Howrah-Chennai Coromandel Express and 12864 Yeshwantpur-Howrah Express, the coaches of both trains overturned, causing death of more than 100 and injuries to several hundreds of passengers. The bodies and injured passengers were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital, Balasore; the Community Health Centre, Soro and the District Headquarters Hospital, Bhadrak and rescue operation was continuing,” says the FIR.
“At present, culpability of specific railway employees is not ascertained, which will be unearthed during investigation,” it says. Ranjit Nayak, sub-divisional railway police officer, has taken over the investigation.
Meanwhile, railway employees who were on duty managing the signal system at the Bahanaga station have been kept under close watch.
