Railways suspends 4 staffers, initiates probe after BSF train fiasco
The ministry has also initiated a detailed inquiry into the incident and stated all necessary measures are being taken to prevent such lapses in the future.
An officer from the Alipurduar Division Coaching Depot and three other employees have been suspended for allegedly providing an 'unsuitable/old train' to BSF jawans, the Railway Ministry's official support handle @RailwaySeva posted on X Wednesday.
New Delhi: The Railways has suspended four staff members and intiated a detailed inquiry after an 'unsuitable train' was alloted for the movement of BSF jawans from the Northeast to Jammu and Kashmir for deployment during the Amarnath Yatra, a day after a report in ThePrint highlighted the 'unhygienic and dilapidated' condition of the coaches.
The special troop movement is a critical part of the security arrangements for the annual Amarnath pilgrimage scheduled between 3 July and 9 August.
रेलवे ने अलीपुरद्वार मंडल कोचिंग डिपो के अधिकारी सहित 4 कर्मचारियों को निलंबित कर दिया है। BSF जवानों को अव्यवस्थित ट्रेन उपलब्ध कराने के मामले में यह कार्रवाई की गई है। pic.twitter.com/hXHLmQ6EPi
— RailwaySeva (@RailwaySeva) June 11, 2025
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw took immediate action after the issue was highlighted and ordered the suspension of the Alipurduar coaching depot officer and three senior section engineers from the division, the ministry said.
'The Railway Minister has made it clear that the dignity and comfort of security forces are of the utmost priority and that such negligence will not be tolerated at any level,' it said in a press release.
BSF officials had earlier confirmed to ThePrint that the coaches provided were in such poor condition it appeared they had not been used for months. This was discovered during an inspection at Udaipur station in Tripura's Agartala, after which senior railway officials were immediately informed.
Personnel carrying out an inspection found cockroaches, damaged washrooms soiled with human waste on the dilapidated coaches, which they flagged to Northeast Frontier Railway.
In addition to the condition of the coaches, a commandant-level officer flagged an 'inexcusable delay' by the Northeast Frontier Railway in allotting a special train. This led to a delay of more than 72 hours in the movement of BSF troops.
The personnel, who were scheduled to be deployed in Jammu and Kashmir by 12 June from various parts of the Northeast, were unable to depart until Tuesday evening.
The press statement also said that a special train is now being arranged from Agartala exclusively for BSF personnel, with railway authorities assuring that full attention will be paid to their convenience and dignity.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
Also Read: BSF slams Rlys over 'filthy, dilapidated' train, 72-hour delay in troop movement for Amarnath Yatra
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Print
an hour ago
- The Print
Divided by conflict, 2 Manipur families now bound by grief—a Kuki & a Meitei were among AI 171 crew
Hatred earlier separated the families, but what bound them together on the day of the deadly crash was their shared grief over the possible loss of a loved one, and the hope that the women were still alive. Both families continue to wait for official confirmation from the authorities about the fate of the two crew members. New Delhi: Among the 10 cabin crew members on board Air India Flight 171 flying from Ahmedabad to London Thursday were two young women from conflict-ridden Manipur—a Kuki and a Meitei. Far from the ongoing conflict that divided their home state, both were working together as flight crew. The Kuki woman, Lamnunthen Singson, originally from Imphal, was displaced in the conflict and forced to move with her family to Kangpokpi in the hills. The Meitei woman, Nganthoi Sharma Kongbrailatpam, is from Thoubal town, Manipur. Speaking to ThePrint, Nnemg, the sister of Singson, said the family had been watching the horrific visuals of the crash but still did not want to believe that Singson was no more. 'I spoke to her this morning before she was to board the flight. She said she was going to London. I can't believe this. I can not say anything more. We are still waiting for official information from Ahmedabad,' Nnemg told ThePrint. 'She joined Air India three years ago.' Speaking to ThePrint over a call, Gitanjali, the elder sister of Air India crew member Nganthoi, said the family was still 'in the dark', more so because there is no internet in the valley after the violence Saturday over the arrest of Kanan Singh, a senior member of the Meitei body Arambai Tenggol, and the detention of four of his associates. 'We are in the dark. There is no Internet here, so we don't know much. We are only getting calls from our cousin, a brother who lives in Delhi. He said we have to give blood samples for the identification [of Nganthoi]. We might leave tomorrow,' Gitanjali said. 'We know for sure she was on the flight, but no confirmation from Air India yet on her condition. My parents remain very worried. The situation is grim,' she added. Nganthoi, 21, joined Air India as a crew member in 2023. It was her first job after completing Class 12 and training. She has two siblings and parents. A total of 242 people, including two pilots and 10 crew members, were on board the Air India flight that crashed in Ahmedabad on Thursday noon. The flight was bound for Gatwick Airport in London. According to a Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) statement, 'On 12 Jun, M/s Air India B787 Aircraft VT-ANB, while operating flight AI-171 (from Ahmedabad to Gatwick), crashed immediately after takeoff from Ahmedabad. There were 242 people on board the aircraft, consisting of 2 pilots and 10 cabin crew. The aircraft was under the command of Capt. Sumeet Sabharwal with First Officer Clive Kundar. Capt. Sumeet Sabharwal is an LTC with 8200 hours of experience. The co-pilot had 1100 hours of flying experience.' The aircraft had taken off at 1.38 pm from runway 23. Right after takeoff, it placed a mayday call to Air Traffic Control (ATC), but thereafter, the aircraft gave no response, the DGCA said. Most people on board the aircraft are feared dead. (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: Air India crash: Army deploys more than 100 jawans to assist rescue ops in Ahmedabad
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Three Maoists with Rs 19 lakh bounty surrender in Chhattisgarh
(You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Three Maoists, including two women, carrying a collective cash reward of ₹19 lakh on their heads, have surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district, citing disillusionment over the 'hollow' Maoist ideology and exploitation of tribals, police said on of the Maoists, identified as Bhima, alias Dinesh Podiam (40), turned himself in on Wednesday, while the two women cadres - Sukli Korram, alias Sapna, and Devli Mandavi (22) - surrendered on Tuesday before the authorities, an official said."Narayanpur police, ITBP and BSF have played a crucial role in their surrender," an official said.
The Hindu
9 hours ago
- The Hindu
Efforts to abolish child labour should not be merely symbolic, says Judge Amarnath
Senior Civil Judge Amarnath K.K., who is also the member-secretary of the District Legal Services Authority, said here on Thursday that efforts to abolish the scourge of child labour should be backed by real programmes and not be confined to symbolic events. He was speaking at the inauguration of 'World Day Against Child Labour', held at Maharaja's Pre-University College. The judge said that children are pushed into labour at an early age and are deprived of education. The social practice of families depending on child labour for livelihood must be completely eliminated, and is the responsibility of every citizen, he said. The government has enacted Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, and this should be implemented in full measure, said Mr. Amarnath. He pointed out that there were 27 laws in the Constitution relating to child-related offences, with Sections 2, 3, and 14 playing key roles. Veena S.R., Assistant Labour Commissioner and member-secretary of the District Child Labour Project, said that parents must encourage children to prioritise learning over earning, and education must not be interrupted in early years. She said society should cultivate the habit of enrolling children in schools if they are found engaged in work. Under the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986, employing children below 14 years or adolescents in any form of labour is a criminal offence,' Ms. Veena said. Senior advocate N. Sundar Raj said poverty and illiteracy are the primary reasons for the increase in child labour in India. Citing various articles of the Indian Constitution and the laws that prohibit employment of children below 14 years in any hazardous occupation, Mr. Raj said under Article 21A, the government is mandated to provide free and compulsory education to children between 6 and 14 years. Underlining the increase in juvenile delinquency and POCSO cases, he said there are about 900 cases pending in district courts. Child Welfare Committee Chairperson Ravichandra and others were present. The event was organised by the district administration, District Legal Services Authority, Zilla Panchayat, Department of Women and Child Development, the police department, and NGOs.
