Dumka-Ranchi express train derails near Katras
DHANBAD: Two bogies of the Dumka-Ranchi Intercity Express derailed near the Katras railway station when the train was being reversed to the station in the early hours of Tuesday. No one was injured in the incident as the train was moving at a very slow speed, officials said.
Five railway employees — two stations masters, and the driver, assistant driver and guard of the express train — have been suspended for the mishap. Dhanbad railway division spokesperson Sanjay Kumar told HT that all five employees were found guilty of two acts of negligence that caused the derailment. The first was when the stations masters set a wrong signal, leading the train to move on to the wrong track and the drivers jumped the stoppage point at Katras station. The second mistake was to reverse the train to divert it back to the correct track, which is in violation of railway guidelines.
The accident severely affected operations at the Chandrapura- Katras section of Dhanbad railway division, with movement on the line suspended for eight hours. Several trains, including the Hatia-Patna Patliputra express train, were delayed as the tracks were being repaired.
DRM Dhanbad MK Akhouri, who reached the spot soon after the incident, has ordered an inquiry by the safety department of the division. Preliminary reports have suggested the driver and assistant driver also crossed the speed limit.