Patiala, December 16
Mirthal station master Babu Ram Lal, who is one of the two station masters wanted on charges of criminal negligence which led to the death of 38 persons in a rail accident near Mukerian on December 14, was arrested by a team of the Punjab General Railway Police (GRP) from Motlay village in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh today.

Disclosing this here today, GRP Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) S.C. Jain said the station master had been arrested from his native village in Kangra after he fled from his place of posting in Mirthal after the accident. He said the station master had been booked under Sections 427, 337, 338 and 304 (attempt to murder), IPC, besides Section 175 of the Railway Act. The police has secured Babu Ram Lal’s remand till December 20 after he was presented before a local court.

Mr Jain said raids were also being conducted to arrest Varinder Kumar Malvi, station master at Bangala Railway Station. He said police parties had left for Ludhiana where one of his brothers lived as well as his native village of Chabbovihori in Azamgarh district of Uttar Pradesh.

The ADGP said investigations had also been started into the legal and criminal aspect of the accident. He said preliminary investigations had revealed that it was a case of human error and system failure. He ruled out any sabotage in the matter.