Pune police arrest 2 rly officials
Central Railway sets up fourmember committee to probe the entire incident
PUNE: A day after a hoarding frame collapse killed four and injured seven, the Pune police arrested two central railways (CR) employees for neglect that led to casualties.
The Bund Garden police arrested central railways junior engineer Sanjaysingh Vishnudev Singh and his assistant Pandurang Vanale for neglecting safety of people while removing the hoarding frame.
Four persons were killed while seven others injured when a 40-foot metal hoarding frame put up at the railway department’s land collapsed when it was being cut.
Assuring action against those responsible for the collapse, the Central Railway Pune division has appointed a four-member committee to probe the entire incident.
Sunil Udasi, chief PRO of Railways, said, “A high-level committee has already been appointed by the department to probe the unfortunate incident which took place on Friday. While we have taken the moral responsibility of the accident, we have also directed the committee to consider all the minute details of the accident so that the true culprit responsible for the incident can be punished.”
M Mujawar, police inspector at Bund Garden police station, said, “We have arrested one Sanjay Singh, a junior engineer of the central railways and his assistant, identified as Pandurang Wanare, who works as a ‘lohar’ (blacksmith) in the railway department in connection with the Friday’s incident. They have been arrested under the IPC Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder).”
The arrested railway officials were sent to police custody till October 11. While seeking custody, the prosecution told judicial magistrate first class that police are required to arrest other booked persons.
On Friday, a case was registered against the railway officials, contractor and his workers who had been given the responsibility to dismantle the structure. While the police have been arrested the railway officials, the contractors are still absconding with the police department carrying out search operations.
Following the incident, Railways had blamed the private agency carrying out the work on the site responsible for the mishap. The statement released by the railway department said, “The agency which was awarded the work of removing the hoarding is completely responsible for the unfortunate incident. We will conduct a high-level inquiry about the entire incident.”
While a senior Railways’ officer, requesting anonymity, admitted the fact that the accident was a result of a human error, Udasi said, “Nothing can be particularly claimed before the report of the committee comes out. However, we have zero tolerance when it comes to safety and all those responsible for the accident will be punished.”