Kanpur train accident: Carriage, wagon defects cited as reasons for mishap

According to the Commission of Railway Safety, carriage and wagon defects caused Kanpur train accident.

New Delhi, Jan 28: Even as the National Investigation Agency continues to probe the Kanpur train accident, the Commission of Railway Safety in its preliminary report states that there is no evidence of sabotage. Nearly 150 people had died in the accident. The mishap occurred on November 20 last year.

Earlier, the Bihar police officials said that they've arrested members of a gang allegedly involved in causing the train disaster. The police added that the gang was sponsored by the Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence. Following these revelations, the Ministry of Home Affairs directed the NIA to probe the case. The NIA too has not found prima facie evidence to suggest sabotage in the case.

In fact, the CRS' report identified carriage and wagon defects as the main reasons behind the accident. The report adds the coaches were overaged and there were some wheel alignment issues, resulting in the mishap.

Meanwhile, a five-member NIA team continues to probe the train accident at Kuneru in Andhra Pradesh. The disaster that took place earlier in January killed 39 people. The NIA in its preliminary investigation has not found any evidence of sabotage.

The NIA officials informed that the accident appears to be a case of rail fracture, due to poorly maintained tracks. The investigative agency also did not find any trace of explosives in the railway tracks.

Further, the NIA team also explored the possibility of Naxalites manually damaging the tracks. A close look at the track did not show signs of it being manually sawed to cause the train accident.

OneIndia News