Ten railway staffers – three gatemen of level crossings between West Bengal’s Rangapani station and the accident site, two linesmen, two station managers, the pilot and the co-pilot of Kanchanjungha Express and another railway employee – deposed before the chief commissioner of railway safety, NFR, on the first day of the probe on Wednesday, with one of the gatemen confirming that he had raised an alarm about the goods train moving at more than the approved speed, report
“One of the gatemen said that he had seen the train passing at a speed higher than the allowed limit and had immediately called Rangapani station to alert them.We are checking the timing of the landline conversation and are questioning the station manager and other officials about what they had done after receiving the information,” said Surendra Kumar, divisional railway manager, Katihar Division, who is part of the investigation team.
“One of the gatemen said that he had seen the train passing at a speed higher than the allowed limit and had immediately called Rangapani station to alert them.We are checking the timing of the landline conversation and are questioning the station manager and other officials about what they had done after receiving the information,” said Surendra Kumar, divisional railway manager, Katihar Division, who is part of the investigation team.
So far around 30 people – including railway personnel, multiple witnesses and rescuers who reached the spot immediately after the accident – have been called to help the investigation being held at the additional divisional railway manager’s office in Siliguri.
