Balasore Train Tragedy: CBI Summons Bahanaga Bazar Station Master for Questioning

Bhubaneswar: In a significant development in the ongoing investigation into the Bahanaga train accident, which claimed the lives of 293 passengers, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has summoned the Station Master of Bahanaga Bazar railway station for questioning.

The Station Master has been asked to appear at the CBI office in Bhubaneswar. Three other railway staff members, namely Senior Section Engineer (signal) Arun Kumar Mahanta, Section Engineer Mohammed Amir Khan, and Technician Pappu Kumar, have already been arrested by the CBI under IPC sections 304 and 201.

These arrests were made in relation to culpable homicide and destruction of evidence. The accused were presented before the court, and the CBI requested a seven-day remand for questioning, but the Special Court in Bhubaneswar granted a five-day remand instead.

Earlier this week, the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), South Eastern Circle, released an inquiry report stating that the train accident at Bahanaga station in Balasore, Odisha, was caused by errors in the signalling circuit alteration conducted at the North Signal Goomty in the past.