Bail Granted in Balasore Train Tragedy: Legal Hurdles and Hope for Diwali Release

The Orissa High Court granted conditional bail to three railway employees arrested for the June 2023 Balasore train accident that killed nearly 300 people. The Indian Railway S&T Maintainers' Union welcomed the decision, though legal formalities may delay their release beyond Diwali. Faulty signaling was identified as the cause.

The Indian Railway S&T Maintainers' Union expressed their approval of the Orissa High Court's decision, which granted bail to three men arrested in connection to the Balasore train tragedy that claimed approximately 300 lives.

The CBI detained Mohammad Amir Khan, Arun Kumar Mahanta, and Pappu Yadav from the signal and telecommunications department, alleging their involvement in the incident. A high-level inquiry attributed the disaster to signaling failures and lapses within the S&T department.

While bail has been approved, legal processes might stall the men's release until after Diwali, leaving them in custody. Prakash, the union's general secretary, urged swift completion of paperwork so the accused might celebrate the festival with family.

(With inputs from agencies.)