SILIGURI/KOLKATA: The assistant loco pilot of the goods train, Manu Kumar, who survived the crash with Kanchanjungha Express, is believed to have told railway officials that he and the loco pilot were unaware of the presence of another train on the same track. Also a curvature in the line had prevented them from sighting the Kanchanjungha Express on time to apply brakes and prevent the accident.The line has curve around 200 metres before the accident spot.
What had compounded matters was the approach of another train in the adjoining track. This made it further challenging for them to spot the stationary train on the same track.
The container freight train that he was co-piloting requires around 1 km to halt if travelling at 40 kmph. Had the line been straight, Kanchanjungha Express would have been spotted well before that and evasive action could have been taken. Kumar told the officials that emergency brakes had been applied but the momentum drove the freight train into Kanchanjungha Express.
Kumar had a miraculous escape in the accident that killed his senior colleague, the guard of another train and eight passengers. He is currently admitted at a private hospital under strict RPF watch.
Although he is yet to face the inquiry team led by the chief commissioner of railway safety, some railway officials, along with doctors, nurses, health workers and railway doctors, are speaking to him during their visits.
“At times, Kumar has been speaking in fragments revealing certain information. He still seems to be in a daze. We are checking the accuracy of his statements,” a source said. Kumar sustained injuries on his legs, wrists, ribs, shoulders and lips and is also mentally devastated, doctors said. A psychiatrist has also examined him.
The source said Kumar has told doctors that while the loco pilot tried to apply front brakes, Manu tried to apply the rear brake but it was too late.
A railway officer, who is part of the investigation team led by the CCRS, said they are yet to officially record Kumar’s statement and continued to depose statements of other railway employees involved in the passage of the train between NJP station and the accident site.
GRP superintendent S Selvamurgan said a forensic team from Kolkata reached the accident site on Friday and collected samples for an independent inquiry initiated by the special investigation team by GRP.
What had compounded matters was the approach of another train in the adjoining track. This made it further challenging for them to spot the stationary train on the same track.
The container freight train that he was co-piloting requires around 1 km to halt if travelling at 40 kmph. Had the line been straight, Kanchanjungha Express would have been spotted well before that and evasive action could have been taken. Kumar told the officials that emergency brakes had been applied but the momentum drove the freight train into Kanchanjungha Express.
Kumar had a miraculous escape in the accident that killed his senior colleague, the guard of another train and eight passengers. He is currently admitted at a private hospital under strict RPF watch.
Although he is yet to face the inquiry team led by the chief commissioner of railway safety, some railway officials, along with doctors, nurses, health workers and railway doctors, are speaking to him during their visits.
“At times, Kumar has been speaking in fragments revealing certain information. He still seems to be in a daze. We are checking the accuracy of his statements,” a source said. Kumar sustained injuries on his legs, wrists, ribs, shoulders and lips and is also mentally devastated, doctors said. A psychiatrist has also examined him.
The source said Kumar has told doctors that while the loco pilot tried to apply front brakes, Manu tried to apply the rear brake but it was too late.
A railway officer, who is part of the investigation team led by the CCRS, said they are yet to officially record Kumar’s statement and continued to depose statements of other railway employees involved in the passage of the train between NJP station and the accident site.
GRP superintendent S Selvamurgan said a forensic team from Kolkata reached the accident site on Friday and collected samples for an independent inquiry initiated by the special investigation team by GRP.
