The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)’s probe into last week’s triple train accident in Odisha’s Balasore district entered its second day on Wednesday, as officials questioned at least six people and seized their mobile phones to ascertain the cause behind India’s worst train accident in nearly three decades.
Read here: Odisha train accident: Avoid shortcuts, report near misses, Railways tell staff
CBI sleuths and a team of forensic experts spent 45 minutes at Bahanaga Bazar railway station – where the accident took place – and interrogated railway officials and staff members, including former assistant station master SB Mohanty, and seized their mobile phones and other electronic equipment.
Mohanty was in-charge of the station until Friday when he was transferred to Khurda.
“They (CBI and forensic teams) seized several electronic equipment, including the mobile phones used by the staff on the day of the accident,” said a railway officer connected with Bahanaga Bazar police station, who did not want to be identified.
According to a senior CBI officer, who also did not wish to be named, the call records, including those made via WhatsApp, and social media usage of the three people will be examined as part of the investigation.
{{/usCountry}}According to a senior CBI officer, who also did not wish to be named, the call records, including those made via WhatsApp, and social media usage of the three people will be examined as part of the investigation.
{{/usCountry}}At least 288 people have died so far and more than 1,1100 injured in the accident which took place on Friday after a Chennai-bound Coromandel Express rammed into a goods train bearing iron ore, the impact of the collision flinging several compartments into the adjacent track. A few of these coaches hit the last two cars of the Howrah-bound Yesvantpur Express, which was passing by on the opposite line at the same time.
On Sunday, Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the railway board sought a CBI probe into the accident over suspicions of a possible sabotage attempt.
To be sure, it is not clear if the accident was a result of human error, a system malfunction or sabotage.
On Tuesday, CBI began its probe and registered a first information report (FIR) based on the case registered on June 3 by Balasore Government Railway Police, Cuttack.
Read here: Bahanaga Bazar: The rural station in Odisha's Balasore rocked by train crash
The FIR names unknown people and was registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 304A (causing death by negligence), sections 337 and 338 (related to endangering life of others), and sections 153, 154 and 175 of Railways Act (which also deal with endangering lives).
CBI is expected to question Gunanidhi Mohanty, the loco pilot of the Chennai-bound Coromandel Express who is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar, this week, the officer cited above said.