Investigation confirms sabotage in Bagmathi Express accident
Confirming the sabotage, the report said removal of fittings and connections at Point No. 51B by 'miscreants' led to the collision of Train 12578 Mysuru-Dharbanga Bagmathi Express with the stabled goods train. Thirteen coaches derailed and a power car went up in flames in the accident that left about 19 passengers injured.
'This happened not due to automatic/sudden failure of any equipment or assets but due to the forceful alteration in the designed position of Left Hand Tongue Rails (which divert a passing train from one track to another)...,' the report said.
After the CRS asked the railways to identify vulnerable areas prone to sabotage and ensure patrolling based on threat levels, the Railway Board responded by saying that such locations were already identified and security measures, including installation of surveillance cameras and intelligence gathering, taken in coordination with the railway and local police taken. Special forces have been deployed in sensitive sections and all divisions have been directed to ensure patrolling based on threat perceptions.
Role of insider
The report said the possibility of sabotage involving an insider was a grave matter and the intelligence machinery of the railways should develop a mechanism of gathering inputs in that angle. On this note, the railways wrote to the CRS saying that the Special Intelligence Branch (SIB) of the Railway Protection Force (RPF), in coordination with Central and State intelligence agencies, has strengthened security to prevent sabotage, especially from insiders. SIB units across Zonal Railways were instructed to intensify intelligence gathering on railway employees, contractual workers and other associated personnel.
After the report commended the good work of Loco Pilot G. Subramani whose alertness and promptness in applying emergency brakes reduced the speed of the train and consequent impact of the collision, the railways said his name was recommended for the 'Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar'.
It may be recalled that sabotage angle was suspected soon after the accident last year prompting officials of the National Investigation Agency to visit the site. However, they found no material or any other prima facie evidence pointing to sabotage for probing the case further.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- New Indian Express
Railway safety commissioner cautions Ministry against contractual hiring for critical safety work
NEW DELHI: AM Choudhary, the Commissioner of Railway Safety (Southern Circle), who held in his probe report that the accident of the Mysuru-Darbhanga Bagmati Express in 2024 was a result of sabotage, has cautioned the Railway Ministry against contractual hiring for critical safety work. Raising concern over the issue, Choudhary said, "Engagement and exposure of contractual staff for the maintenance and operation of critical safety features and systems, as well as allowing them to develop skills in these areas must be reviewed as a priority." It must be brought to a "minimal in short term and null in long term", he added. In their action taken report, the Railway Ministry stated that the contractual staff, according to the policy, are used for non-critical activities along with or under the supervision of Railway Staff. The CRS's probe, reported by PTI on Wednesday, revealed that miscreants forcefully removed the components of the track interlocking system, leading to the accident. Choudhary also observed that the accident happened "not due to automatic/sudden failure of any equipment/assets but due to the forceful alteration in the designed position of LH tongue rails by the miscreant". On October 11, 2024, Mysuru-Darbhanga Bagmati Express (12578) collided with a stationary goods train at the Kavaraippettai railway station in Tamil Nadu's Chennai rail division at around 8.30 pm, leading to injuries to nine passengers. The CRS recommendation regarding non-engagement of contractual staff for crucial safety work has reflected the concerns already raised by the Indian Railways Signal & Telecom Maintainers' Union (IRSTMU) when the Ministry on May 6 issued a circular for hiring signalling and telecom staff on contractual basis as a pilot project for the execution of certain non-critical activities. In a letter to the Railway minister on June 3, IRSTMU General Secretary Alok Chandra Prakash had demanded to fill the vacant posts with permanent employees and not contractual as the S&T department is closely related to the safety and security of railways and passengers. Prakash said that the CRS recommendation is in the interest of passengers' safety. "I am glad that the Railway Ministry announced permanent hiring after our demand, but its pilot project for contractual hiring is also going on," he said. "I think the CRS has touched a very crucial safety aspect. Playing with the safety of railways and passengers should be stopped immediately and privatisation through backdoors should be stopped," Prakash added.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- The Hindu
Investigation confirms sabotage in Bagmathi Express accident
Forcible removal of fittings in the railway track led to the rear-end collision of Bagmathi Express with a freight train at Kavarapettai railway station in Southern Railway's Chennai Division on the night of October 11, 2024, says the final investigation report of the Commissioner of Railway Safety. Confirming the sabotage, the report said removal of fittings and connections at Point No. 51B by 'miscreants' led to the collision of Train 12578 Mysuru-Dharbanga Bagmathi Express with the stabled goods train. Thirteen coaches derailed and a power car went up in flames in the accident that left about 19 passengers injured. 'This happened not due to automatic/sudden failure of any equipment or assets but due to the forceful alteration in the designed position of Left Hand Tongue Rails (which divert a passing train from one track to another)...,' the report said. After the CRS asked the railways to identify vulnerable areas prone to sabotage and ensure patrolling based on threat levels, the Railway Board responded by saying that such locations were already identified and security measures, including installation of surveillance cameras and intelligence gathering, taken in coordination with the railway and local police taken. Special forces have been deployed in sensitive sections and all divisions have been directed to ensure patrolling based on threat perceptions. Role of insider The report said the possibility of sabotage involving an insider was a grave matter and the intelligence machinery of the railways should develop a mechanism of gathering inputs in that angle. On this note, the railways wrote to the CRS saying that the Special Intelligence Branch (SIB) of the Railway Protection Force (RPF), in coordination with Central and State intelligence agencies, has strengthened security to prevent sabotage, especially from insiders. SIB units across Zonal Railways were instructed to intensify intelligence gathering on railway employees, contractual workers and other associated personnel. After the report commended the good work of Loco Pilot G. Subramani whose alertness and promptness in applying emergency brakes reduced the speed of the train and consequent impact of the collision, the railways said his name was recommended for the 'Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar'. It may be recalled that sabotage angle was suspected soon after the accident last year prompting officials of the National Investigation Agency to visit the site. However, they found no material or any other prima facie evidence pointing to sabotage for probing the case further.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Sabotage led to Bagmati Express train accident in Tamil Nadu, finds CRS probe
New Delhi, The Commissioner of Railway Safety has said that the accident of Mysuru-Darbhanga Bagmati Express at Kavaraipettai station in Southern Railway's Chennai Division on October 11, 2024 was a result of sabotage as miscreants forcefully removed the components of track interlocking system. Sabotage led to Bagmati Express train accident in Tamil Nadu, finds CRS probe The CRS of Southern Circle, A M Choudhary, said the probe has found that the collision between the Bagmati Express and a stabled freight train "happened not due to automatic/sudden failure of any equipment/assets but due to the forceful alteration in the designed position of LH tongue rails by the miscreant". "Therefore, the accident is classified under the category 'sabotage'," the CRS said. Choudhary also praised the loco pilot of the Bagmati Express for his extraordinary presence of mind. 'Loco pilot of train No. 12578 had showed outstanding alertness and promptness in applying emergency brakes - this reduced the speed of train and the consequent impact of the collision. His commendable action may be suitably recognized by the Railways,' he said. The Railway Ministry has said that the loco pilot, G Subramani, from Chennai Division has been recommended for the Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar. Several passengers were injured when the Bagmati Express entered a loop line instead of getting into the main line and hit from the rear a stationary goods train. After the collision, a coach of the passenger train had caught fire, and 13 coaches derailed. Expressing concern over the possibility of sabotage from an insider, the CRS said that it is a grave matter and an intelligence wing from the Railways should develop methods of gathering inputs on this aspect. The ministry, in its response, said that the Special Intelligence Branch of the Railway Protection Force , in coordination with central and state intelligence agencies, has strengthened security to prevent sabotage, especially from insiders. 'SIB units across Zonal Railways have been instructed to intensify intelligence gathering on railway employees, contractual workers, and other associated personnel,' the ministry added. The CRS has asked the Railways to identify the vulnerable areas prone to sabotage and ensure the patrolling based on level of threat. In its action-taken measures, the ministry said that all railway zones have identified vulnerable areas to sabotage and have intensified patrolling in coordination with GRP/local police as well as security measures including CCTV surveillance, intelligence gathering and awareness campaigns. Special forces have been deployed in sensitive sections and all divisions have been directed to ensure patrolling based on threat levels, the ministry said. It added that regular meetings of the Standing Committee are being organized in various divisions regarding patrolling of tracks in sabotage prone areas under the chairmanship of additional divisional railway managers. The CRS also directed that the Railways should adopt fixing of anti-pilferage measures for the fittings and connections, as done in the rolling stocks or in some other way. 'To prevent theft of point machine fittings and tongue rails of turnouts, anti-theft measures have been implemented. Tamper-resistant fasteners, developed both by the industry and railway workshops, are under trial with focus on field applicability. Trials for three-four designs are ongoing. Based on the results and field experience, a suitable design will be standardized for uniform adoption across Indian Railways,' the ministry said. To minimise the possibility of such sabotage incidents, the CRS has advised that blacksmith and other artisan staff must get issued tools for each day's work and again return it back to their store/toolbox. 'In any case carrying tools to their house must not be allowed,' he said. The ministry responded that keeping tools at a central depot may delay emergency response and impact train operations. 'On the other hand, technicians are headquartered at wayside stations, many of which are in remote locations, making daily issuance and deposit of tools impractical. Therefore, alternative measures will be explored to ensure both security and operational efficiency,' the ministry said. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
