Railway police book case of ‘negligent’ driving in October 11 train accident 

NIA investigates train accident at Kavaraipettai; GRP registers case of rash driving, no evidence of sabotage found.

Even as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is yet to find any evidence pointing to a sabotage in the October 11 train accident at Kavaraipettai in Southern Railway’s Chennai Division, the Government Railway Police (GRP) have registered a case of ‘rash’ or ‘negligent’ driving.

According to police sources, the GRP have invoked provisions under Section 281 (rash or negligent driving endangering human life), 125(a) (rash or negligent act causing hurt) 125(b) (rash or negligent act causing grievous hurt) of Bharathiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, read with Section 154 (endangering safety of passengers travelling by railway by rash or negligent act or omission) of the Railway Act, 1989. Though the FIR has not named any accused in the case, the act of rash or negligent driving would apparently refer to the loco pilots, the sources said.

The derailment pertains to the rear-end collision of train No. 12578 Mysuru-Darbhanga Bagmati Express with a stationary goods train at Kavarapettai station on the night of October 11. Preliminary investigation revealed that the express train was given a green signal to pass through the main line. However, after passing the signal it entered the loop line and collided with the goods train stabled there. More than 20 passengers were injured after 13 coaches derailed.

A parcel-cum-power car went up in flames in the impact of the collision. But there was no reference to how the coach caught fire in the multi-departmental inquiry report. While some railway officials and locopilots said the power (generator) car would have contained diesel stored in a drum, as is done in many trains, there was no mention of it in any formal report so far.

A senior railway official said transporting diesel separately in containers was a violation of rules and a punishable offence under the Railway Act. He parried questions on the possibility of fuel in a generator exploding or causing fire in the impact of a collision and why the fire detection and suppression system failed to extinguish the fire. The detailed inquiry being conducted by the Commissioner of Railway Safety would go into those aspects, the official, who did not want to be quoted, said.

Soon after the derailment, NIA officials had stepped in to inspect the scene of accident amid suspicions of a possible sabotage. The multi-departmental team of railway officials also said in its report that it found nuts and bolts “missing” from a crucial point on the railway line, suggesting a sabotage angle. But a senior NIA official said no credible evidence was found yet to take up investigation.

Southern Railway General Manager R.N. Singh, who visited the derailment spot, said it was “unusual” that the express entered the loop line despite having the signals set for the main line.