WB train toll at 66; Red signal violated?
India Blooms News Service
Kolkata, July 20 (IBNS) As the official death toll in West Bengal’s train tragedy touched 66 on Tuesday, the signal incharge of the east cabin said the Uttar Banga Express driver violated the red signal leading to the crash involving two trains at Sainthia station in the wee hours of Monday.
“Vananchal Express 3404 down was standing on platform 4. No other train was supposed to be there… the driver (of Uttar Banga Express) must have violated the red signal,” Rehmat Ali, who was the signal incharge of the east cabin at the time of the accident at the Sainthia junction, told NDTV.
Ali said the station master tried to alert the Uttar Banga Express driver over the walkie-talkie, but got no response.
“The driver and the gaurd did not talk on the walkie-talkie about what the problem was. But normally they do communicate. Also it was coming at a high speed and so within 30 seconds the trains collided,” Ali told the news channel on Tuesday.
While unofficial toll remained 69 in the accident at Sainthia on Bolpur – Rampurhat section under Eastern Railway’s Howrah Division, the relatives have identified altogether 40 persons.
Bodies of the other 21 deceased passengers have been sent to Barddhaman Medical College Hospital for postmortem.
Relatives and friends of the 21 unidentified passengers have been requested to contact Barddhaman Medical College Hospital for identification.
Media reports said several people went missing since the accident.
The train accident occurred around 2 am on Monday when two trains- Uttar Banga Express and Vananchal Express- collided as they came on the same track at Sainthia station, about 200 km north of Kolkata.
Down Uttar Banga Express bound for Kolkata plowed into Down Vananchal Express bound for Ranchi, as a car of the latter flew in the air and hit the railway over pass.
The Vananchal Express was about to leave from platform number 4 of Sainthia station when the tragedy occurred, railway officials said.
Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee came under heavy attack of the opposition leaders for “neglecting the ministry and spending more time for Bengal politics”.
However, Union Finance Minsiter Pranab Mukherjee came in full support of Banerjee.
“Accidents are accidents…unpredictable. It is wrong to accuse her (Banerjee) like this,” Mukher jee said on Monday.
Railway officials said the accident possibly occurred owing to human error.
Meanwhile, the Union Home Ministry has ruled out Banerjee’s claim that the incident involves foul play.
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