Coordination Issues Between Rail Employees Result in Fatal Accident at Barauni Junction, Bihar

A preliminary investigation has revealed that a lack of coordination between two railway employees during a shunting operation resulted in a fatal accident at Barauni Junction, Bihar. The incident occurred on Saturday when one employee became trapped between the buffers of an engine and a power car, leading to his death.

The joint report, signed by five railway officials, identified the employees as Amar Kumar and Mohd Suleman. It stated that due to poor coordination, Suleman gave an incorrect signal to the locomotive driver, which led to the death of 25-year-old Kumar. A video of the tragic incident has been widely shared on social media.

Responsibility and Defence

The report held Suleman accountable for the mishap. However, in his written defence, Suleman blamed the locomotive driver for the accident. He explained that both he and Kumar had disconnected the engine from the power car by detaching the centre buffer coupler, which links the engine to a coach.

Suleman further stated that after disconnecting, the engine moved slightly away from the power car. When Kumar attempted to close the buffer coupler, the driver reversed the engine without any hand signal from Suleman. This action led to Kumar being trapped between the two buffers.

Details of the Incident

The joint report detailed that the 15204 Lucknow-Barauni Express arrived at Barauni Junction at 8:10 am. The station master assigned Kumar and Suleman to detach the engine from the power car and remaining train coaches. During this process, Kumar became stuck between them and died instantly.

Footage from CCTV cameras at the station showed that the accident happened around 8:29 am. Kumar's body was retrieved after separating the engine and power car at 10:15 am and was subsequently sent for a post-mortem examination.

Further Investigations

Railway officials have announced that another senior-level inquiry has been initiated to further investigate this tragic incident. The aim is to ensure accountability and prevent such accidents in future operations.

A pointsman's role involves detaching train engines from coaches. Buffers are shock-absorbing devices located at both ends of a train's engine and coaches. They are designed to reduce impact during collisions between bogies.