Bilaspur/Raipur, Nov 6 (IANS) In the wake of the tragic train accident in Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh, police have registered an FIR (first information report) against an unidentified individual, marking the beginning of a formal criminal investigation into the incident that left 11 people dead and 20 injured.

The FIR was “lodged at Torwa police station following a memo from a railway official,” as confirmed by Additional Superintendent of Police Rajendra Jaiswal.

The accident occurred on November 4 near Gatora station, where a MEMU passenger train collided head-on with a stationary freight train. The impact was devastating, killing 11 passengers on the spot, including the MEMU train’s loco pilot.

Rescue operations were swiftly launched, and the injured were rushed to nearby hospitals. According to Bilaspur Collector Sanjay Agarwal, two of the injured remain in critical condition.

The FIR has been registered under Section 106(1) of the Indian Penal Code for causing death by negligence, Section 125(A) for acts endangering life or personal safety, and relevant provisions of the Railway Act.

The police investigation will run parallel to the inquiry initiated by the railway authorities. A five-member team led by the Commissioner of Railway Safety for the South Eastern Circle has begun a probe into the accident.

The team is likely to question 19 individuals, including railway staff and witnesses, on November 6 and 7 to determine the sequence of events and identify lapses in protocol or communication.

Sources within the railway department have raised concerns about the role of the MEMU train’s loco pilot, who had reportedly been promoted to command a local train just a month prior to the accident.

Investigators are examining whether inexperience or procedural errors contributed to the collision.

The tragedy has sparked renewed scrutiny of railway safety standards and operational oversight, especially in high-traffic zones like Bilaspur.

As both police and railway officials delve deeper into the causes, the families of the victims await answers and accountability. Authorities have assured that all aspects of the incident — including human error, signalling systems, and communication protocols — will be thoroughly examined to prevent such disasters in the future.

The dual investigations aim not only to establish culpability but also to reinforce safety mechanisms across the railway network.

–IANS

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