Train runs for over 15 km sans engine, 7 suspended

BHUBANESWAR: Passengers on board Ahmedabad-Puri Express train had on Saturday night had close shave as at least 22 bogies rolled backwards for 15 km without a engine in Odisha’s Titlagarh, which could have resulted in a major mishap. The ECoR authorities have suspended seven staff for dereliction of duty and inquiry has been ordered.

Reports said that at around 10.05 pm on Saturday, 22 coaches of the Express train began rolling down towards Kesinga due to non-application of skid-brake on the wheels by the staff concerned.

At Titlagarh, the engine reversal of this train was conducted. The pilotless train travelled for about 15 km before it was stopped around 11 pm outside the Kesinga railway station.

“When engine is detached to be attached at the other end, the coaches should be secured with skids at the wheels. In this case, it appears that the skids have either not been placed or placed improperly. Facts will be known after detailed enquiry. An inquiry has been ordered into the incident,” an East Coast Railway Official (ECoR) said. Jayadip Gupta, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Sambalpur, said high-level inquiry has been ordered.

“Probe has been ordered into the incident. A team of four senior officials from the Railway department will probe the matter and submit the probe report within three days,” said the DRM.

DRM Sambalpur placed two persons — Kanta Kharsel and Dharmendra Nihal — under suspension as they failed to follow the engine shunting procedure. Another five persons, including loco-pilot S. Venkat Rao and assistant loco-pilot Sushant Singh, have been placed under suspension.