Day after Bilaspur train crash that killed 11, police file FIR against unidentified people

Bilaspur: An FIR for causing death by negligence and endangering life of others has been registered against unidentified persons in connection with the train accident in Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur district in which 11 people were killed and 20 injured, an official said on Wednesday.

The case was registered at the Torwa police station based on a memo received from a Railway official, said Abhay Singh Bais, Station House Officer (SHO), Torwa.

Sections 106 (1) (causing death by negligence), 125(A) (act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BSN) and relevant sections of the Railways Act have been invoked in the case, he said, adding further probe was underway.

Meanwhile, Commissioner of Railway Safety BK Mishra has arrived Bilaspur to investigate the accident which took place on Tuesday, Railway officials added.

Eleven persons, including six women, were killed and 20 others injured when a MEMU (mainline electric multiple unit) passenger train hit a stationary goods train from behind after allegedly overshooting a red signal near Bilaspur station.

The crash occurred around 4 pm between Bilaspur and Gatora stations on the busy Mumbai-Howrah section, when the passenger train was heading to Bilaspur from Gevra (in neighbouring Korba district).

Loco pilot of the passenger train, Vidya Sagar (53), was among the deceased.

The 20 injured include nine women and a two-year-old-boy. Assistant loco pilot of the passenger train, Rashmi Raj (34), and its manager (guard) Ashok Kumar Dixit (54) and guard of the goods train Shailesh Chadra (49) are among those hospitalised, they said.

"The passenger train hit the stationary goods train from behind at a speed of 60 kmph to 70 kmph after overshooting a red signal," a senior Railway official said.

"It is now a matter of investigation as to why the loco pilot jumped the red signal and failed to apply the emergency brake in time even though the goods train was within visible distance," the official said.

After the crash, half of the motor coach of the passenger train climbed on the wagon next to brake van, the official said.

The manager (guard) of the goods train jumped out of the brake van - the last coach of the goods train - and sustained minor injuries, the official added.

Railway authorities have announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to kin of the deceased and Rs 5 lakh to the seriously injured persons, while those with minor injuries will receive Rs 1 lakh assistance, an official statement said.

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed grief over the accident and separately announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to kin of each of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each to the injured.