LAHORE, Jan 30: Government investigators and federal and state ministers for railways on Monday termed the derailment of the Lahore Express an act of sabotage and said saboteurs tampered with a section of rail tracks.
Nine coaches of the non-stop Rawalpindi-Lahore train had derailed near Jhelum on Sunday.
No technical or operational faults had been found in the track or the train, which could explain the cause of derailment, sources quoted from the preliminary report submitted by Federal Government Inspector of Railways Imamuddin Bhatti to the ministry of railways on Monday.
The report also said that some tools (wrenches and nuts and bolts) had also been found near the track. It said six fish-plates had been also found unscrewed, substantiating concerns that someone had deliberately unscrewed and detached them from the rail (track), sources said.
The Chenab Express had passed Domaili 45 minutes before the derailment.
Minister of State for Railways Ishaq Khan Khakwani also termed the derailment as an act of sabotage.
Tools bearing serial numbers had found lying near the accident site, the minister said. These tools were issued to railway employees responsible for track maintenance, the minister told reporters at the Lahore railway station on Monday.
A thorough investigation by the FGIR would clarify if these tools had been stolen from the employees concerned or if any railway man was involved in the act, Mr Khakwani said.
Meanwhile, locomotive driver Amin Khan told railway officials that he had seen a fish-plate removed from rail tracks. He said there was nothing wrong with the locomotive or the rake and his speed was 85 kilometres per hour at the time of the derailment. Mr Khan had been taken into custody soon after recording his statement, sources said.
PR commercial wing officials said there were only two cases of confirmed casualties. “Bodies of two women were recovered from the wreckage. There were reports of two more casualties but no one, including hospitals, had so far confirmed it, they said.
Of the 96 people injured in the accident, 20 had been allowed to go after administering first aid, 30 were discharged after two to three hours, 38 were admitted to the Dina Civil Hospital and CMHs in Mangla and Jhelum while 12 people were shifted to Lahore and Rawalpindi hospitals because of their serious condition, they said.
They said operation of only two trains — 105-Up and 106-Down Rawal Express — had been cancelled and passengers were refunded their fare.
Railways’ passenger business unit officials in Rawalpindi said incoming and outgoing trains were running according to the schedule via Sargodah and Bisal. They said that rail traffic on the Bakrala-Domaili section was restored at around 4:30pm on Monday.
PROBE: Federal Government Inspector of Railways Imamuddin Bhatti would begin probe from Feb 2 into causes of derailment of the Lahore Express (108-Down) between Bakrala and Domaili railway stations on Sunday.
Mr Bhatti would hold inquiry at the Domeli railway station on Feb 2 and in the committee room of Rawalpindi divisional superintendent’s office on Feb 3-4.
“Any member of the public, having knowledge about the accident and matters connected therewith and desirous of giving evidence, may appear before the FGIR from 8am on these days. Any information in writing can be sent to the FGIR at its Allama Iqbal Road, Lahore, office by post by Feb 3,” says a press release issued here on Monday.
APP adds: Federal Minister for Railways Shamim Haider also said the derailment of passenger train near Jehlum on Sunday might be an act of sabotage.
He said a compensation amount of Rs200,000 each would be given to the families of those killed in the accident and Rs50,000 each to the families of injured.
It seemed that (fish) plates were removed between rail tracks, he said.
LAHORE, Jan 30: Government investigators and federal and state ministers for railways on Monday termed the derailment of the Lahore Express an act of sabotage and said saboteurs tampered with a section of rail tracks.
