Balasore Train accident: CBI Seals House Of Rail Signal JE Amir Khan After He Goes Missing With Family; Railway Official Denies Claim

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday (19 June) reportedly sealed the house of the Soro section Signal Junior Engineer in Balasore as part of their investigation into the Odisha triple train accident.

However, a railway official has refuted the reports claiming that one of its staff is missing and absconding.

Chief Public Relations Officer of South Eastern Railway, Aditya Kumar Chaudhary on Tuesday (20 June) clarified that all staff are part of CBI and Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) enquiry.

None of the staff are missing or absconding, he added.

According to the reports, the engineer Amir Khan, who lived in a rented house, was earlier questioned by the CBI but has since gone missing with his family.

The CBI during the initial investigation questioned the engineer at an undisclosed location, reports India Today.

Following their visit to Balasore on 16 June, the CBI team returned on Monday and sealed the engineer's residence earlier in the day.

A Signal Junior Engineer plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety of train operations by installing, maintaining, and repairing signaling equipment such as signals, track circuits, point machines, and interlocking systems.

It is important to note that the responsibilities of a Signal Junior Engineer may vary depending on the division or zone within the Indian Railways.

Meanwhile, the death toll in the Balasore train accident had risen to 292, as a 24-year-old passenger from West Bengal succumbed to his injuries at a state-run hospital in Cuttack, India Today reported citing an official.

The triple train accident earlier this month resulted in 287 deaths on the spot, with an additional five people succumbing to their injuries in hospitals. A total of 1,208 individuals were injured.

On 6 June, the CBI took over the investigation into the train accident in Balasore, Odisha, after filing a First Information Report (FIR) in the case.

The agency became involved in response to allegations of tampering with the electronic interlocking system following the accident.

Officials raised concerns of sabotage, as the electronic interlocking system provides information about the status of trains.

As the investigation progresses, CBI may seek the expertise of railway security and forensic specialists, as the agency do not have extensive experience in handling railway-related cases.

Upon commencing its investigation, the CBI sealed the station and confiscated the "log book," "relay panel," and other equipment. The relay interlocking panel was also sealed, resulting in the signaling system being inaccessible to employees.

The Bahanaga Bazar station will not be receiving any passenger or goods trains until further notice, leading to the suspension of all train operations at the Bahanaga station.

The Central agency is reportedly investigating the involvement of five railway employees, including the station master at Bahanaga Bazar, in the Balasore train tragedy.

India Today cited sources as saying that four other employees were responsible for signaling-related work and were on duty at the time of the accident.

The train accident involved the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, Bengaluru-Howrah Super Fast Express, and a goods train.

On 2 June, the Coromandel Express crashed into a stationary goods train, derailing most of its coaches around 7 pm near the Bahanaga Bazar station.

A few coaches of the Coromandel Express whiplashed the last few coaches of the Bengaluru-Howrah Express, which was passing by at the same time.