Bubaneswar : CBI seizes mobile phones of employees on duty at the time of Odisha train tragedy - the deadliest accident in the history of Indian Railways that has claimed at least 288 lives so far. Seized are the cell phones of, 6 employees on duty at Bahanaga railway station.
The CBI is looking to see what phone calls, WhatsApp calls, social media surfing etc. were engaged in at the time. The loco pilot of Coromandel Express, whose health condition is stable, will be quizzed by sleuths at the hospital today. Passenger accounts of what happened too will be recorded, said CBI.
CBI is looking to see if a faulty interlocking signal system might have been the cause, or if there is human factor involved. CBI and forensic team completed inspection of the site at Bahanaga station where the accident occurred. The experts also inspected signal room and took down statements from employees there.
Technical checks are underway to find if there is sabotage involved. According to Union Railway Minister Ashwinin Vaishnav, sabotage is likely cause for the massive accident.
The deadly accident
Several coaches of the Shalimar-Chenna Coromandel Express fell off to adjacent track and hit a stationary goods train at about 7 pm Friday in Balasore district. The carriages of the goods train ended up on the opposite track where another train - the Howrah Superfast Express traveling from Yesvantpur to Howrah - hit the overturned carriages.
The coaches were mangled and wrecked near wholly from force with which the trains collided. According to Director General of Odisha Fire Rescue Services, 288 have died so far.
Investigators are scratching their heads on why Coromandel Express entered loop track to the railway station station with red signal, instead of taking the main track that singaled green.
