Tamil Nadu train collision: Tech team suspects sabotage

A three-member technical team of senior railway officials from the Signal & Telecom, Engineering and Operations Department raised serious apprehension of sabotage after inspecting the accident site at the Kavaraippettai railway station in Tamil Nadu, railway sources said.

On October 11, train 12578 Mysuru-Darbhanga Bagmati Express collided with a stationary goods train at 8.30 pm at the Kavaraippettai railway station in Chennai Rail Division, Tamil Nadu, causing injuries to nine passengers.

“The team of senior officials have found that the mechanical parts of the interlocking system were opened. Normally, these parts get broken after an accident due to the heavy impact of the locomotive and coaches,” a source, close to the inspection team, said.

“It looks like the miscreants, who interfered with the interlocking system, gained knowledge from some well-trained person,” he added.

The officials said some cases were reported earlier from different places near the Kavaraippettai railway station where the miscreants tried to subvert the interlocking safety system but couldn’t do it.

“Perhaps they gained experience by doing that elsewhere and finally implemented their plan successfully at Kavaraippettai,” the source said.