Bhubaneswar: The CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) probing the triple-train collision near Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore district on June 2 has arrested three persons.
According to the CBI, all the arrested persons are Railway employees.
The accused have been identified as Senior Section Engineer Arun Kumar Mohanta, Section Engineer Mohammad Amir Khan and Technician Pappu Kumar.
“The Central Bureau of Investigation has today arrested then SSE(Signal), Balasore, then SSE(Signal), Soro and then Technician, Balasore, under sections 304 and 201 of the IPC and Section 153 of Railways Act, 1989 in an ongoing investigation of a case related to train mishap at Bahanaga Bazar Railway Station, Balasore( Odisha),” stated an official press release of the CBI issued this evening.
The release said, “CBI had registered the instant case on 06.06.2023 following the request of Ministry of Railways, consent of the Odisha Government and further orders from DoPT (Govt. of India) relating to the train mishap involving Coromandel Express, Yashwantpur-Howrah Express and a Goods train at Bahanaga Bazar in the State of Odisha on 2nd June, 2023. The case was earlier registered at Balasore GRPS, District Cuttack (Odisha) vide GRPS Case No.64 dated 03.06.2023 regarding the said mishap. Investigation is continuing”.
The total death toll in the tragedy so far stands at 293.
The collision involved the Coromandel Express, a Chennai-Kolkata passenger train, which entered the up-loop line near the Bahanaga Bazar railway station where a goods train was already stationed.
The collision led to the derailment and knocked off the last few coaches of the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express on another track.
As many as 288 people and more than 1,000 were injured in the accident, one of the deadliest in the history of Indian Railways.
The investigation into the accident was initially handed over to the Commissioner of Rail Safety (CRS) and then to the CBI. AM Chowdhary, Commissioner of Railway Safety, South Eastern Circle, was given charge of the inquiry.
The CRS recently submitted its report to the Railway Board.
The report reportedly pointed out to lapses at multiple levels in the S&T (Signal & Telecommunication) Department and held it responsible for the accident.
