CRS to record statement of assistant driver of goods train that rammed into Kanchanjunga Exp: DRM

Siliguri (WB): The Commissioner of Railway Safety, probing the accident in West Bengal's Rangapani that claimed 10 lives, will record the statement of the grievously injured assistant driver of the goods train after he recovers, a senior official said on Wednesday.

Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of NF Railway's Katihar division, Surendra Kumar, said that the goods train driver, who died in the accident, was apparently not following the speed restrictions imposed after disruption of automatic signalling and train tracking systems owing to heavy rain and lightning.

Monu Kumar, the assistant driver of the goods train that rammed into Kanchanjunga Express from behind on Monday at Rangapani near New Jalpaiguri station, is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Siliguri.

Assistant Driver Kumar had initially been considered by the railway authorities to have died, but was later found alive with serious injuries.

The CRS will record the statement of the grievously injured Kumar, one of the most important witnesses, when he recovers and is in a position to speak, the DRM said, adding that it may take a few days.

DRM Kumar said that apparently, the driver of the goods train was not following the speed restriction as per the memo issued to all loco pilots on that section.

"At that time several trains were passing through the area and everyone was abiding by the restrictions. Apparently, the goods train driver did not abide by it," the DRM said.

He said that the driver of the Kanchanjunga Express stopped the train at a red signal as per the guidelines in situations when automatic signalling system is not working, when the goods train rammed it from behind.

Kumar, however, said that all aspects related to the accident were being probed by the CRS, maintaining that everything will be clear after he comes to a conclusion on considering all the evidence.

The DRM said that the automatic signalling system and the train tracking system got disrupted between 5.15 am and 5.30 am, following which trains were running under caution and speed restriction with paper instructions or memos.

"The disruption occurred owing to heavy rain and lightning," he said, adding that the system has since been rectified.

Stating that the gateman of a level crossing that precedes Rangapani in the direction from New Jalpaiguri, has claimed to have alerted Rangapani station authorities that the goods train was over-speeding, the DRM said that his statement has been recorded by the CRS.

Kumar said that the statements of the gateman, the driver and assistant driver of Kanchanjunga Express and some porters at Rangapani station have already been recorded by the CRS.

He said that no railway staff has been acted against in connection with the accident during the pendency of the CRS probe.

The North Bengal Medical College and Hospital authorities said that 31 accident-related patients were under treatment there.

The dean of the medical college, Dr S Sengupta said that two patients were discharged from the hospital and two others were shifted to private facilities by their families on Wednesday.

Siliguri Mayor Gautam Deb went to visit the injured assistant driver of the goods train at a private hospital here on Wednesday.