Kolkata: An official from the North East Frontier Railway (NFR) stated on Thursday that an investigation is currently underway to ascertain the reasons behind the goods train driver exceeding the permissible speed limit before colliding with the Kanchanjunga Express at Rangapani in West Bengal.

The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) is leading the probe into the tragic accident, which tragically claimed the lives of 10 individuals, including the goods train driver and the guard of the Kanchanjunga Express on Monday.

"What made him go faster than the prescribed speed limit is being investigated," NFR spokesperson Sabyasachi De told PTI.

Stating that something might have happened to the driver, which is not yet known, he said this is what the investigation is expected to uncover.
He added the T/A 912 form, which is the basic protocol as per the rule book when there is a snag in the automatic signalling system, was issued to the driver of the goods train.

NFR's Katihar Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) claimed on Wednesday that the automatic signalling system and the train tracking system in the section had experienced disruption around 5:15 a.m. As a result, trains were operating under speed restrictions in accordance with safety protocols. The tragic accident occurred around 9 a.m.

The DRM further mentioned that the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) would take the statement of Monu Kumar, the grievously injured assistant driver of the goods train, once he has recovered sufficiently to communicate. Kumar, who was initially believed to have perished in the accident, was later discovered alive but severely injured. He is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Siliguri.

The DRM said after recording statements of the witnesses, the CRS will collate those and draw an inference, and thereafter submit a report, which may take some time.

He said as per the memo issued to the drivers in the affected section, the trains were to run at a maximum speed of 10 to 15 km per hour after stopping at every red signal for a minute.

Kumar said the Kanchanjunga Express had halted at one such red signal after crossing Rangapani station when the goods train rammed it. PTI