Top

New Delhi-Dibrugarh Rajdhani derails, 4 dead

MHA rules out sabotage; Bihar leaders suspect Maoists’ hand

Patna/New Delhi: In the second major train derailment within a month, the New Delhi-Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express met with a major accident in the early hours of Wednesday near Chapra in Bihar, that left four passengers dead and 23 others injured, including eight with grievous injuries.

While the Union home ministry, on the basis of reports from the state government and local administration, has ruled out sabotage for now, some senior railway officials and BJP leaders in Bihar said the derailment was caused by Maoist rebels.

The Rajdhani Express, that left New Delhi on Tuesday, derailed at around 2.10 am Wednesday between Chapra Kachahari-Goldenganj section in Saran district.

The impact of the derailment was so high that it led to five coaches (B-1, B-2, B-3, B-4 and the pantry car) overturning, and seven other coaches jumping the tracks, some of them being thrown 700 feet away. A goods trains, meanwhile, also derailed 60 km away after a blast on the track in Motihari.

Railway minister Sadananda Gowda along with minister of state Manoj Sinha and Railway Board members Alok Johri and D.P. Pande reached the site later. The grievously injured were admitted to Patna Medical College Hospital. The Union Cabinet, led by PM Narendra Modi, condoled the deaths in the accident, and announced additional compensation of '2 lakhs to the next of kin of each of the deceased.

The Railways also announced compensation of Rs 2 lakhs for the dependants of the deceased, besides Rs 50,000 to those who have been injured.

After fuelling speculation about sabotage in the derailment of the Dibrugarh Rajdhani, the Railways later said the actual cause of the mishap would be known only after an inquiry.

“It is too early to comment on the cause. The cause will be known after an inquiry,’ said Mr Gowda.

The home ministry, on the basis of reports from the state government, ruled out the “sabotage” angle. Home minister Rajnath Singh, who met top security officials, including those of the MHA’s

Naxal division, said “it is too early to blame any group”. He said he had spoken directly to railway and state government officials on the spot, and had informed the PM on the latest developments.

“Let us wait for further reports on the incident,” he said.

The Maoists, who are observing a “martyrs’ week” between June 22 and 28 in the region, are believed to have played a role in the two derailments, railway and police sources claimed.

Sonepur DRM Rajesh Tiwary said: “At least 17 pendulum plates (fishplates) were found removed from the tracks at the accident site. They do not get removed on their own. Prima facie it appears to be sabotage.”

An RPF official claimed there was an intelligence input of an impending Maoist attack on railway assets in Tirhut and Saran region of Bihar.

Former Bihar deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi added to the sabotage theory by tweeting: “It is a case of sabotage by the miscreants in Chapra. About two dozen clips of track were found missing. Goods train also derailed by saboteurs.”

Local MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy also claimed that the tracks were damaged, that led to the mishap.

Railway Board chairman Arunendra Kumar appeared to be inclined towards the sabotage theory, and said: “Prima facie, it appears to be a case of sabotage, as there was a blast on the track, that could have caused the derailment.” He was referring to the derailment of a goods train 60 km from the station due to a blast.

The largest railway union, the All-India Railwaymen’s Federation, said the Rajdhani mishap could have been due to sabotage, as claimed by its general secretary Shiv Gopal Mishra.

There were no casualties after 18 wagons of a goods train derailed near Motihari in Bihar’s East Champaran district, reportedly following a blast. Bihar DGP P.K. Thakur said a probe had been launched to find a Maoist hand in this case, particularly because a crater was seen to have been formed near the tracks.

( Source : dc correspondents )
Next Story