Rayagada: At least three Railway staff, including a senior engineer were killed as engine and front Guard-cum-Luggage Van Coach of 18005 Howrah-Jagadalpur Samaleswari Express rammed into a maintenance engine between Singapur Road and Keutguda in Rayagada-Koraput Railway Section at 4.30 am on Tuesday.
Following the collision the engine also caught fire. The rammed into the tower car when the latter was undergoing some routine maintenance work.
The deceased were identified as Suresh (Technician, Maintenance Tower Car), Sagar (Senior Section Engineer, Electrical, Rayagada) & Gouri Naidu (Technician, Electrical, Rayagada)
Railways have also suspended three Station Masters in the Section on charges of dereliction of duty.
“S Topo (Keutguda Station), Jai Prasad (Singapur Road A-Cabin) & B Pradhan (Singapur Road Station) are placed under suspension,” said a statement issued by the East Coast Railway (ECoR).
Railways too ordered an enquiry by Commissioner of Railway Safety, Kolkata. It is an independent statutory authority under the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Senior officials of Railway Board took full details of the accident.
However, no damage was caused to the passengers. Following the mishap separation of train from engine was done immediately on detection of fire in engine.
Later the detached train from engine with 148 passengers who were in train during the incident returned back to Rayagada at 6.22 pm after another engine was attached to the rear of the train.
For the convenience of the passengers, two buses have been arranged for passengers for transporting them to Jagadalpur and Koraput along with food arrangements.
Meanwhile, Koraput Collector, SP and all the senior Railways officials from Visakhapatnam immediately were on the site.
