On September 2, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a charge sheet against three arrested Railways officials in connection with the Balasore train accident case that occurred on June 2. The officials were charged with alleged culpable homicide not amounting to murder and destruction of evidence, according to news agency PTI.
The three officials, senior section engineer (Signals) Arun Kumar Mahanta, section engineer Amir Khand, and technician Pappu Kumar, all posted in Balasore district, were arrested by the CBI on July 7. They were held in connection with the accident involving three trains which resulted in 296 deaths and over 1,200 injuries.
The accident occurred when the Coromandel Express crashed into a stationary freight train at Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore district. Some of its derailed coaches fell onto the adjacent tracks and collided with the oncoming Yeshwantpur-Howrah Express.
In its charge sheet filed before the Special CBI court in Bhubaneswar, the CBI charged the accused under Indian Penal Code Section 304 part II (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), Section 34 read with 201 (common cause read with the destruction of evidence) and 153 of the Railways Act.
According to officials, Mahanta used the circuit diagram of LC gate no. 79 to carry out repair work at level crossing gate number 94 near Bahanaga Bazar station. The duty of the accused was to ensure that testing, overhauling, and carrying out alterations to the existing signal and interlocking installations were done according to the approved plan and instructions, which they allegedly failed to do.
