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Indian authorities suspend 5 officers over deadly train accident

Xinhua, November 23, 2016 Adjust font size:

Indian railways have suspended five senior officers over the deadly train crash in northern state of Uttar Pradesh, officials said Tuesday.

"Five officers, including senior divisional mechanical engineer (carriage and Wagon), divisional engineer (line) and three senior section engineers of Jhansi division have been suspended," a railway spokesperson told media.

According to the spokesperson action was taken in view of circumstantial evidence related to the accident. The authorities have also transferred a senior official.

Death toll in the crash has gone up to 149, besides 200 others injured in the accident are undergoing treatment at different hospitals.

The crash occurred following derailment of 14 carriages of the Indore-Patna Express train early Sunday at 03:00 a.m. (local time) near Pukhrayan town of Kanpur Dehat district, about 149 km southwest of Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh.

Over 500 passengers were on board in the train at the time of accident.

The ill-fated train was traveling from Indore city of Madhya Pradesh and destined to reach Patna city in Bihar.

Railway officials said cause of the derailment leading to deadly crash was being ascertained.

India's Railway Minister Suresh Prabu has ordered an inquiry into the accident. The ministry has asked people to come forward to share their information about the accident.

The minister has promised of strict action against people responsible for the accident.

Meanwhile, Railway Saftey Commissioner, Eastern Circle, P K Acharya designated to carry inquiry has started investigations into the accident, officials said.

"Acharya examined the broken tracks and damaged coaches at the accident site yesterday," an official said. "Railway engineers and technical staff were also questioned in connection with the derailment."

Kanpur is a major railway junction in north India and hundreds of trains pass through it daily.

Though several trains on the route were diverted and cancelled following the accident, however, the track was made operational on Tuesday and passenger trains were allowed to pass through the Pukhrayan route.

Train accidents are common in India. Experts blame the outdated infrastructure of railways for most of the accidents. Endit