Three railway employees in India have been apprehended by the federal police in connection with the country’s most devastating train crash in the past two decades. The incident, which occurred last month, claimed the lives of 292 individuals and left over 1,000 others injured. The source, who possesses direct knowledge of the matter, revealed that the arrests were made under sections of the Indian penal code pertaining to culpable homicide. Due to the sensitivity of the issue, the source requested anonymity as they were not authorized to communicate with the media.
The tragic collision took place on June 2 at Bahanaga Bazar station in the eastern state of Odisha. It involved a passenger train colliding with a stationary freight train, subsequently derailing and striking another passenger train approaching from the opposite direction. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), India’s federal police agency, initiated an investigation into the incident after filing a case of criminal negligence.
Despite repeated attempts to obtain comments, representatives from the Indian Railways and the CBI have not responded to Reporters inquiries. Earlier this week, it was reported that faulty connections were discovered in the automated signaling system of the railway network, which were attributed to workers repairing a rail-road barrier. The Commission of Railway Safety (CRS) investigators disclosed that the initial collision resulted from modifications made to the signaling circuit in an attempt to address persistent issues at a nearby rail-road barrier.
According to the investigators, the local railway staff lacked a standardized circuit diagram, leading to a faulty connection when they attempted to deactivate the boom-barrier circuit for repairs. Consequently, the malfunctioning system directed the passenger train onto the path of the freight train. Indian Railways, the fourth-largest railway network globally, operates as a state monopoly overseen by the Railway Board, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Railways Ministry.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s rail network is currently undergoing a massive $30 billion transformation aimed at enhancing infrastructure and connectivity. This comprehensive modernization plan includes the introduction of new trains and the construction of modern stations.
