CBI ready to take over the investigation of Balasore train accident case; Congress fury

New Delhi: The CBI is all set to take over the probe into the Balasore train accident in which at least 275 people died and 1,100 were injured, officials said. As per procedure, the central agency will take over the Balasore GRP case number 64 registered by the Odisha Police on June 3, a day after the accident involving two passenger trains and a goods train in Odisha.

Sections 337, 338, 304A (causing death by negligence) and 34 (common intention) and sections 153 (unlawful and negligent act endangering life of railway passengers), 154 and 175 (causing danger to life) of IPC A case was registered under. , It is likely to be allotted to the Special Crime Unit at the Delhi headquarters. As per procedure, the CBI re-registers the local police FIR as its own case and begins investigation. It can add or drop charges from the FIR in the charge sheet filed after completion of its investigation.

“We have recommended a CBI probe into the triple train accident that claimed 275 lives and injured over 1,000,” Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav told reporters in Bhubaneswar on Sunday evening. Railway officials have indicated that possible “sabotage” and tampering with the electronic interlocking system, which detects the presence of trains, led to Friday’s accident.

The accident between the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, carrying over 2,500 passengers, and a goods train laden with iron ore occurred near Bahanga Bazar station in Balasore, about 250 km south, on Friday. 170 km north of Kolkata and Bhubaneswar. 21 coaches were derailed and seriously damaged in the accident, trapping hundreds of passengers.

The Congress on Monday accused the BJP-led Center of playing with the lives of railway passengers by not paying attention to their safety and hit out at the Railways for demanding a CBI probe, saying the agency is meant to investigate crimes and not rail accidents. Did. , Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the probe agency cannot fix accountability for technical, institutional and political failures, a day after the Railways sought a CBI probe into the tragedy in Odisha that claimed 275 lives Went.

Kharge also said that “all empty safety claims” of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav have now been “exposed” and the government should bring to light the real causes of the serious accident, which he termed as one of the worst in Indian history. told.