Probe Intensifies in Deadly West Bengal Train Accident

The Commissioner of Railway Safety is investigating a train accident in West Bengal's Rangapani that killed 10 people. They will record the statement of the severely injured assistant driver once he recovers. The goods train driver allegedly ignored speed restrictions due to disrupted signalling caused by heavy rain and lightning.

The Commissioner of Railway Safety, currently investigating the Rangapani train accident in West Bengal, is set to record the statement of the assistant driver of the goods train once he recuperates from his severe injuries, a senior official confirmed on Wednesday.

According to Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of NF Railway's Katihar division, Surendra Kumar, the accident's cause appears to be the goods train driver not adhering to speed restrictions. These were imposed after heavy rainfall and lightning disrupted the automatic signalling and train tracking systems.

Monu Kumar, the assistant driver who suffered serious injuries in the collision with Kanchanjunga Express near New Jalpaiguri station, is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Siliguri. Initially presumed dead, he was later discovered alive and in critical condition.

The DRM stated that the goods train driver ignored speed limit directives, which had been communicated to all loco pilots in the affected sections. Other trains adhered to these restrictions, as confirmed by a level-crossing gateman who reported the over-speeding to station authorities.

Investigations are ongoing, with statements from several key witnesses, including the driver and assistant driver of Kanchanjunga Express, already recorded.

The system malfunctions, occurring between 5:15 and 5:30 a.m., have since been rectified. Meanwhile, no railway staff has faced action pending the results of the probe.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)