Odisha Police today ruled out involvement of Maoists in the derailment of the Jagdalpur-Bhubaneswar Hirakhand Express in which the railways are suspecting sabotage.
"There is no indication of Maoist hand behind the derailment of the Jagdalpur-Bhubaneswar Express," Odisha DGP K B Singh told reporters after attending a review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here.
Patnaik has ordered the state Chief Secretary, DGP and Health Secretary to rush to Rayagada to monitor the situation.
Though the accident took place in Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh, the spot is only 35 km from Rayagada town and most of the injured persons were rushed there.
DGP's remarks come in the backdrop of Railway sources suspecting tampering of the track as the area is known to be a Naxal-prone zone.
The Commissioner Railway Safety will conduct a detailed inquiry into the train mishap that has killed at least 36 people and submit the report at the earliest, Railway spokesperson Anil Saxena said.
The cause of the accident is yet not known and we will come to know only after through investigations. The cause will be investigated from all angles. If there was any unusual activity, or tampering with track, it will be probed. Commissioner Railway Safety (Civil Aviation Ministry) to enquire into the derailment," he said.
Railways sources said that sabotage has not been ruled out in the as the area is Naxal affected.
A senior officer engaged in anti-Maoist operation rejected the possibility of Naxal involvement in the accident.
"We totally reject any possibility of Maoist involvement in the derailment. Kuneru is not a Naxal-hit area," the officer of the intelligence wing told PTI.
"There is no movement of red rebels near the accident site for the last five years. We are even planning to shift the force from the area as there is no report of Naxal movement since a long time," the officer said.
Had Maoists been involved, they could have done it close to Parvathipuram area, he said and asked why should they come to a place where they have no base?
He said, "Yes, the place was Naxal hit about five years ago. But, now the area is totally free of such elements."
The accident took place around 11.20 p.m. near Kuneru station, about 30 km from Rayagada in Odisha, when the train was going from Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh to Bhubaneswar.
The Railway Minister has announced the ex-gratia of Rs two lakh each for the kin of the passengers killed in the train mishap near Kuneri station, while Rs 50,000 will be given to those who have grievously injured, he said.
Railways will give Rs 25,000 to those who have received simple injury, he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolence to the kins of those killed even as the Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu ordered an inquiry into the mishap.
“My thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones due to the derailment of Jagdalpur-Bhubaneswar Express. The tragedy is saddening. I pray for a speedy recovery of all those injured due to the train accident,” the Prime Minister tweeted.
“The Railway Ministry is monitoring the situation very closely and is working to ensure quick rescue and relief operations,” he said.
The ministry said that Suresh Prabhu was personally monitoring the situation and has directed senior officials to reach to the site immediately, ensure prompt rescue and relief operations.
Prabhu, along with the Railway Board chairman was rushing to accident site.
Helpline numbers:
Vizianagaram: 83331, 83332, 83333, 83334, 08922-221202, 08922-221206
Visakhapatnam: 83003, 83005, 83006, 0891-2746344, 0891-2746330, 08500358610, 08500358712
Rayagada: 06856-223400, 06856-223500, 09439741181, 09439741071, 07681878777
Khurda: 0674 2490670.
Bhubaneswar station: 06742543360.
Behrampur station: 06802229632
