Railway safety commissioner to conduct inquiry, NIA probe on

Chennai: The Commissioner of Railway Safety will conduct a statutory inquiry into the Tamil Nadu train accident and the probe by the National Investigation Agency is continuing, authorities said on Sunday.

The inquiry will be held on October 16, 17 in Chennai. “Any member of the public with information regarding the accident or related matters may provide evidence to the Commissioner,” an official railway release said.

Commissioner of Railway Safety, Southern Circle, Bengaluru, A M Chowdhary will conduct the statutory inquiry into the mishap of Mysuru-Darbhanga Bagmati Express colliding with a stationary goods train at Kavaraipettai.

NIA sources said an investigation to find out if the mishap was caused by any ‘sabotage activity’ is ongoing and an official has completed preliminary site inspection.

Asked about ‘meddling’ with operational mechanism, as unfastened bolts-nuts were reportedly found at the accident site, sources declined to answer.

A three-member technical team of senior railway officials from the Signal & Telecom, Engineering and Operations department raised serious apprehensions of sabotage after inspecting the accident site at Kavaraippettai Railway Station in Tamil Nadu, railway sources said.

The government railway police has also registered a case into the mishap, and authorities are also investigating a case of reported tampering last month with operational systems at Ponneri, near the accident site of Kavaraipettai.

Southern railway also said that EMU train services in Chennai Central-Gummidipoondi section are now being operated upto Gummidipoondi railway station.