Mathura/New Delhi: Railways on Wednesday took off duty the driver and assistant driver of Goa Express, which rammed into stationary Mewar Express near Mathura, and initiated inquiry into the mishap in which more than 20 people were killed.
Driver R K Chaturvedi and assistant driver Laxmikant have been taken off duty till completion of inquiry, Railway Board Member (Traffic) Sri Prakash said in New Delhi, hours after the pre-dawn accident.
In Mathura, Railway Board chairman S S Khurana said the one-member inquiry commission of P K Vajpai, Commissioner, Railway Safety (North East Circle), has been asked to examine all the issues related to the accident.
"He (Vajpai) will have his own team to assess it. He has been asked to recommend steps to ensure safety and signalling system. He will talk to all concerned in the matter. The issue of railway safety is a complicated matter and he has been asked to file a detailed inquiry report," Khurana told reporters.
Asked about the possible reason behind the mishap, he said that the driver of Goa Express may have disregard the signal or there may be a signal failure. All these issues will be investigated, he added.
Asked whether there could be a possibility of sabotage, Prakash said it will be determined by the inquiry only. To a question, he said the visibility was absolutely clear.
Praksah ruled out the possibility of signal system failure, insisting that it was foolproof.
A Railway official said medical examination of the driver had shown that he was not drunk.
Bureau Report
