Balasore accident: CBI names 3 railway officials in chargesheet

The CBI on Saturday (September 2) submitted a chargesheet against the three railway officials who had been earlier arrested. They have been accused of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and tampering with evidence in connection with the Balasore train accident on June 2, say officials.

The CBI had arrested the three — senior section engineer (Signals) Arun Kumar Mahanta, section engineer Amir Khan, and technician Pappu Kumar, all posted in Balasore district — on July 7 in connection with its probe in the accident involving three trains which left 296 people dead and over 1,200 injured.

The accident took place on June 2 when the Coromandel Express crashed into a stationary freight train at Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore district, and some of its derailed coaches fell onto the adjacent tracks and collided with the oncoming Yeshwantpur-Howrah Express.

The allegations

In its chargesheet filed before the Special CBI court in Bhubaneswar, the CBI has charged the accused under IPC Section 304 part II (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), Section 34 read with 201 (common cause read with destruction of evidence), and 153 of the Railways Act.

The CBI has alleged that the repair work at the level crossing gate number 94 near Bahanaga Bazar station was done by Mahanta using the circuit diagram of LC gate no. 79, the officials said.

The duty of the accused was to ensure that testing, overhauling and carrying out alterations to the existing signal and interlocking installations were in accordance with the approved plan and instructions which he did not do, the CBI said. 

(With agency inputs)