Loco drivers spared, 3 others suspended for West Bengal train crash

KOLKATA: In the first administrative action in the June 17 Bengal train accident in which 10 people died, Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has suspended Rangapani station superintendent, signal technician of the section between Rangapani and Chatter Hat - where signals were not functioning for three hours before the accident - and the guard of the goods train that dashed into Kanchanjungha Express.

No action has been taken against the Kanchanjungha Express driver and his assistant for stopping the train on the section. The assistant loco pilot of the goods train, who survived the crash, has also been spared, although senior railway officials had initially held the loco pilot of the goods train responsible for disregarding signals, causing the accident.

It had later emerged the signals on the stretch were malfunctioning and the Rangapani station superintendent had issued a memo to loco pilots of both trains to bypass the nine faulty signals. Sources said the three persons named in the suspension order were prima facie found responsible and would be chargesheeted and face departmental inquiry.


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