Indian Railways to issue notices to five employees in North East Express train accident case

Bihar Train Derailement

The Ministry of Railways will issue show-cause notices to five employees from the engineering department as part of the investigation into the North East Express train accident, people aware of the development said.

"The North East superfast train derailment is being probed by the Commissioner of Railway Safety, who will issue show-cause notices to five railway employees by the end of this week," a senior ministry official said.

The station master and five other railway staff including the loco pilot said in a note that the accident may have been caused by a fault of the engineering department.

The employees are suspected of negligence of duty and if found guilty, action will be taken against them, the official said.

At least four people died and several were injured when the 12506 North East Express derailed near Raghunathpur in Bihar’s Buxar district on October 11.

The accident occurred just over four months after the triple train tragedy in Odisha's Balasore district that claimed 296 lives in June.

Direct responsibility

While investigating a railway accident, staff held directly responsible for the mishap are classified as 'D' and those with secondary responsibility are categorised as 'S'.

"As four lives were lost in the derailment of the North East Express, if employees are found directly responsible for the accident, they will be dismissed from service, and if the Commission of Railway Safety suspects foul play, the case can be forwarded to the Central Bureau of Investigation," another senior ministry official said.

The penalty imposed on 'S' staff depends on the degree of their contribution to the accident/engine failure. The minimum punishment for 'S' staff will be a reduction to a lower timescale of pay, grade, post or service; reduction to a lower stage in timescale of pay for a period not exceeding three years, and withholding of pay increments for a specified period with future effect.

"In some cases, compulsory retirement is also enforced," the second official said.

An unspecified "fault in the track" is said to have caused 23 coaches of the Guwahati-bound North East Express to derail in Buxar district late on October 11. About 60 passengers were injured, according to a preliminary probe report.

The accident may have been caused by a fault of the engineering department, according to a 15-page joint note signed by the on-duty station master, pointsman, gateman, loco-pilot, assistant loco-pilot, and trackman.

The report, which Moneycontrol reviewed, holds the railway engineering department "responsible" for the fault. It cited locomotive pilot Vipin Kumar Sinha as saying the train had just gone past Raghunathpur crossing at 128 kmph when there was "immense vibration" accompanied by "a heavy jerk" and the engine's brake-pipe pressure dropping suddenly.

"Before assistant loco-pilot Rajesh Kumar and I could understand anything, the train derailed," Sinha was cited as saying.

The report said the gateman at the level crossing observed sparks and heard a heavy noise after about 10 coaches went past him.

Stationmaster Nityanand Kumar, who had stepped out of the panel room to "exchange the all-right signal" with the train crew, said in his written statement that he noticed flames as soon as the North East Express passed level crossing number 59B.

"Due to the derailment, both up and down main lines were blocked. Two coaches (9 and 11) capsized, while a coach positioned at 10th from the engine partially capsized. Coach numbers 19, 20 and 21 were tilted," states the report.

The railways incurred a loss of Rs 52.1 crore because of the derailment, an official said, citing the official announcement. Ten critically injured people are being treated at AIIMS Patna.

On June 20, three trains – Coromandel Express, a goods train, and the SMVT Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express – collided in Odisha’s Balasore district.