Railways orders probe into Haryana accidents

Faridabad/Gurgaon, Nov 4 : The Indian Railways have ordered a high-level probe into two accidents involving trains in Haryana in which 12 people lost their lives Tuesday, an official said Wednesday.

"A high level probe has been ordered into the two accidents. The report is expected in 15 days," a Northern Railways spokesman said in New Delhi Wednesday.

While six people from one family were run over by the New Delhi-Ajmer Shatabdi Express near Pataudi town in Haryana's Gurgaon district Tuesday morning, another accident at Asawati station near Palwal town, 60 km from Delhi on the route to Agra, claimed the lives of six railway workers when a passenger train ran over them.

"We are stepping up the campaign against trespassing on railway tracks. Directions are also being issued to divisional railway managers to ensure that staff take all precautions when working on tracks on busy sections," the spokesman added.

The railway gangmen were returning after finishing repair work on the tracks. They did not realise that a train was coming on the same track and were run over. Light was fading when the accident took place.

In the Pataudi incident, the Shatabdi was stranded at the spot for over five hours as agitated people refused to let the train leave.

After the morning incident in Pataudi, railway officials quickly blamed people for not heeding warning signs which said not to cross railway tracks illegally.

However, in the evening, railway staff themselves became victims of another accident and lost their lives while walking on the track.

"The railway workers were returning to headquarters after finishing their work. They were walking on the track which they should not have done," Anand Swaroop, Northern Railways chief public relations officer, said Tuesday evening.

--IANS