Rama Krishna Sangem
Preliminary investigations have revealed that the Coromandel Express train involved in the rail tragedy in Odisha on Friday entered the loop line and crashed into a goods train parked there instead of the main line just ahead of the Bahanagar Bazar station, a source said.
The coaches of Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express capsized after crashing into the coaches of Coromandel Express that had scattered on the adjacent track. While Coromandel Express was at a speed of 128 kmph, Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express was running at a speed of 116 kmph. The report has been submitted to the Railway Board, sources said.
Opposition demand Vaishnaw’s resignation
Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday demanded an inquiry into the three-train accident in Balasore in Odisha that killed more than 260 persons and injured nearly 1,000 a day earlier.
Asked about demands for the resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on moral grounds post the tragedy, Pawar cited the example of then railway minister Lal Bahadur Shastri resigning after a train accident and asked “those in power” to do what is “appropriate”.
The Coromandel Express, the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, carrying close to 2,000 passengers cumulatively, and a goods train were involved in a derailment-collision accident near Bahanagar Bazar station in the eastern state on Friday night.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday said Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw must resign on moral grounds after the Odisha train tragedy a day earlier in which more than 260 persons died and nearly 1,000 were injured.
The Coromandel Express, the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, carrying close to 2,000 passengers cumulatively, and a goods train were involved in a derailment-collision accident near Bahanagar Bazar station in the eastern state on Friday night.
“The entire nation is heartbroken with the accident. The Bharatiya Janata Party talks about morality and decency. So he (Vaishnaw) should immediately resign,” Baghel told reporters at Rajiv Bhavan, the Chhattisgarh Congress’ headquarters in Raipur.
Even former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav said they (BJP govenment) has destroyed railways. He singularly blamed negligence at the top level as the reason for Balasore train tragedy, whose deal toll may go up further as several injured people are in critical condition in hospitals.
