Odisha train accident: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), on Tuesday, registered a case in the recent worst railway disaster that killed 275 passengers and left thousands injured. According to the investigating agency, the case has been registered at the request of the Ministry of Railways, and Odisha Government. Besides, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) also gave its consent to register a case relating to a train accident involving Coromandel Express, Yashwantpur-Howrah Express and a Goods train at Bahanaga Bazar in Odisha on June 2.
"A CBI team has reached Balasore. CBI has taken over the investigation of the case earlier registered at Balasore GRPS, District Cuttack(Odisha) vide GRPS Case No.64 dated 03.06.2023 regarding the said accident: CBI," said CBI.
Earlier today, a 10-member CBI team reached the accident site In Odisha's Balasore district where the triple train tragedy took place on June 2 which claimed 278 lives while close to 1,000 people were injured. The Railway Board decided to hand over the investigation of the incident to the CBI on Sunday.
CPRO of South Eastern Railway, Aditya Kumar Chaudhary said, "Forensic and CBI team is here. They are collecting the evidence and doing their investigation. The railway is providing assistance to them. All angles will be probed by CBI during the probe."
He further said, "The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) team is also working at multiple locations including Kharagpur, and Balasore. They are collecting all the information. Some fake news is being spread regarding the death of the loco pilot, the name of the station master. The Loco pilot is stable and is undergoing treatment in Bhubaneswar."
Odisha police have registered a case under various sections of the IPC and Railway Act including those related to causing death by negligence, sources said. Meanwhile, officials have informed that at least 101 deceased are yet to be identified and claimed by their families while around 200 people are still being treated in various hospitals.
Congress attacks CBI probe in Odisha tragedy
Congress on Tuesday once again slammed the Centre for recommending a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into Balasore train accident in Odisha and termed it nothing but "headlines management" having failed to meet deadlines.
Targetting the government, party general secretary communications in charge Jairam Ramesh said, "Even before the Commissioner of Railway Safety has submitted his report on Balasore train disaster, a CBI inquiry is announced. This is nothing but headlines management having failed to meet deadlines."
About the horrific accident
It should be mentioned here that at least 278 people were killed and about 1100 injured in a horrific train crash in Odisha, involving the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express and a goods train. The train crash, one of the deadliest in India in recent times, happened near the Bahanaga Baazar station in Balasore district around 7 pm on Friday (June 2).
Several coaches of the 12864 Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, on the way to Howrah, derailed and fell on the adjacent track. A goods train was also involved in the accident as some of the coaches of the Coromandel Express, which was heading to Chennai, hit its wagons after getting derailed. As rescue operations are underway, gas cutters are also being used to bring out the bodies from under the derailed coaches.
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