Mumbai:

The Commissioner of Railway Safety, Central Circle, will probe the circumstances leading to the mowing down of 12 passengers standing on tracks by Karnataka Express in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district on Wednesday, officials said.

Manoj Arora, CRS, Central Circle, told PTI he would reach the accident site between Pardhade and Maheji railway stations near Pachora, over 400 km from Mumbai, on Thursday morning.

Mr Arora, also holding additional charge of CRS Western Circle, said statements of passengers and other eye-witnesses will be recorded.

“We will invite passengers and other eye-witnesses. They can share their version about the accident,” he said.

The CRS, entrusted with certain statutory responsibilities as per the Railways Act 1989, works under the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The CRS is supposed to probe matters related to train travel safety and operations.

A railway official of the Bhusawal division of Central Railway said the CRS will also speak to crew members of the trains involved in the accident.

At least 12 passengers of Pushpak Express, who got down on tracks amid a fire rumour, were run over by oncoming Delhi-bound Karnataka Express in Jalgaon district in the afternoon, while 15 others were injured, officials said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Mumbai:

A track curvature prima facie affected visibility for Karnataka Express which mowed down at least 12 passengers in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district on Wednesday, Railway officials said.

The passengers of Lucknow-CSMT Pushpak Express got down on tracks amid a fire rumour when the incident occurred, officials said, adding that 15 persons were injured.

Railway Officials said drivers of both trains followed the protocol and tried their best to avoid the accident.

A senior Central Railway official said the driver of the Lucknow-CSMT Pushpak Express had turned on the flasher light as per the rule when the train stopped between Maheji and Pardhade stations near Pachora, more than 400 km from Mumbai.

He said the driver of Karnataka Express applied brakes after seeing the flasher light signal of Pushpak Express.

“However, the visibility of the train (Karnataka Express) and its braking distance was affected by the track curvature,” he added citing preliminary information.

According to railway officials, trains run at more than 100 kmph in this section which falls under the trunk route of the railway.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)