Five-member committee formed to probe Jalgaon train incident; 10 bodies identified

The enquiry committee comprises Principal Chief Safety Officer (PCSO), Principal Chief Security Commissioner (PCSC), Principal Chief Electrical Engineer (PCEE), Principal Chief Mechanical Engineer (PCME) and Principal Chief Commercial Manager (PCCM) of Central Railway. Officials said that PCSO volition service arsenic a convenor of the committee.

“Prima facie, the crushed down the mishap is concatenation pulling. Due to abrupt exertion of the brake, determination was a fume successful the car. But it was not a fire. The committee volition cheque if determination was immoderate rumour of occurrence oregon the passengers got disconnected the bid owed to immoderate different reason. The committee volition telephone the passengers for questioning,” said a elder authoritative of the Ministry of Railways.

Adding that the full incidental happened wrong fewer seconds, the authoritative said, “The way is 1.7 metres wide and the passengers got disconnected connected the incorrect broadside of the train. There was a curvature of astir 2 degrees, which obstructed the visibility of some the loco aviator of Karnataka Express and besides the passengers who were crossing the track.”

Meanwhile, the Central Railway has identified 10 victims. “The families of 1 deceased is yet to scope the spot, portion different assemblage is yet to beryllium identified,” said Dr Swapnil Nila, main Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of the Central Railway.

The families of the identified victims were fixed ex gratia of Rs 50,000 each, retired of the Rs 1.5 lakh that was announced, portion the equilibrium magnitude volition beryllium paid connected a aboriginal date. Those with grievous injuries were besides fixed Rs 50,000 each, portion those with elemental injuries were fixed Rs 5,000 each. Arrangements were besides made to transport the bodies of victims from Nepal, successful coordination with section authorities, the CPRO said.

The incidental took spot connected Wednesday erstwhile immoderate passengers of the Mumbai-bound Pushpak Express got disconnected connected tracks aft idiosyncratic allegedly pulled the concatenation and were tally implicit by the Karnataka Express.

Seven victims are from Nepal, of which 4 were identified arsenic Kamala Navin Bhandari (43) (who lived successful Colaba successful Mumbai), Javakala Bhate (60) (who resided astatine Bhiwandi successful Thane), Lachchiram Khataru Pasi (40) and Imtiyaz Ali (11).

Recounting the horror, Shaukat Ali, a idiosyncratic from Nepal who was travelling with Lachchiram, said, “A occurrence rumour dispersed connected the train. We saw fume wrong the bogie. When the bid slowed, we hastily stepped down. Another bid moving successful the other absorption approached earlier we could comprehend what was happening… We recovered a tiny abstraction betwixt the 2 trains and laid down there, tightly holding each other, hence we survived.”

The mishap occurred betwixt Maheji and Pardhade stations adjacent Pachora town, astir 400 kilometres from Mumbai. Of the 15 injured passengers, 10 were undergoing attraction — 9 astatine Pachora civilian infirmary and 1 astatine a aesculapian installation successful Jalgaon city. Others who suffered insignificant injuries were discharged, an authoritative said.

Dilip Kumar, enforcement director, Information and Publicity, Railway Board, denied that immoderate spark oregon occurrence wrong the manager caused passengers to propulsion the alarm chain.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said successful Pune connected Thursday that the mishap was owed to a “sheer rumour” astir a occurrence by a beverage seller connected the Pushpak Express, which led to panic.