Kanpur train accident: Spot inquiry into Indore-Patna Express rail mishap concludes

Kanpur: The spot inquiry into the Indore- Patna Express accident by Railway Safety Commissioner (Eastern Circle) P K Acharya concluded today even as he inspected the wrecked coaches of the ill-fated train at Pukhrayan in Kanpur Dehat district.

Acharya, who is conducting the overall probe, has examined three dozen rail employees and recorded statements of around 110 people in connection with the derailment.

On the third and final day of the inquiry, Acharya left for the accident site in Pukhrayan along with engineers, technical staff and officers and inspected the wrecked coaches this morning, North Central Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Vijay Kumar said.

He talked to the engineers and technical staff and then came back to deputy chief traffic manager's office for questioning of railway officials, he said.

He has so far questioned about three dozen officials and employees, including the train's driver and travel ticket examiner. He has also recorded the written statements of about 110 people in connection with the accident, Kumar added.

Acharya had initiated the probe into the train mishap on November 22. The inquiry was supposed to be completed yesterday but was extended by one more day.

Acharya had earlier said he would submit the inquiry report to the civil aviation and the rail ministries within a month. Action against those guilty would be taken by the railways ministry.

The commissioner of railway safety comes under the Civil Aviation ministry.

Meanwhile, now there are only 40 victims of derailment left in the hospital who are undergoing treatment in the district.

Chief Medical Officer Ramayan Prasad said no other deaths were reported today and the toll remains at 150. 35 of the injured are admitted in Hallet hospital here and five others are admitted in a private hospital.

Two serious patients were referred to Lucknow and another victim was referred to New Delhi by the hospital. The condition of those injured is improving and arrangements are being made for patients who want to go home, he said.

147 bodies have been identified and their post-mortem has also been conducted. Out of the three bodies which remain unidentified one belongs to a woman whose only legs were found, Prasad added.