NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation has begun its probe into the Balasore railway accident involving three trains, after registering a regular case in the matter.

A notification was issued from the Department of Personnel and Training for handing over the probe to the CBI.

The CBI took over the FIR registered by the GRP (Government Railway Police) Cuttack on June 3 under IPC sections 337, 338, 304A (causing death by negligence) and 34 (common intention), and sections 153 (unlawful and negligent action endangering lives of railway passengers), 154 and 175 (endangering lives) of the Railways Act.

The FIR stated that many deaths and injuries were caused due to collision and electrocution after coming in contact with the overhead low-tension line.

As per the procedure, the CBI re-registered the case lodged by the local police as its own FIR and started the probe. The central agency can add or remove a charge from the FIR in its charge sheet to be filed upon completion of the investigation.

It is relevant here to point out the preliminary probe by the railways authorities had flagged possible tampering of the interlocking system.

Railway Board officials suspected sabotage behind the tragedy.

It is expected that the CBI may take views of rail safety experts to get to the bottom of the case.

A team of six CBI officials led by Joint Director Special Crime Viplav Kumar Choudhry had on Tuesday reached the accident site at Bahanaga Bazar Railway Station. The team was accompanied by forensic experts and railway officials. The officials inspected the main line and loop line and also went to the signal room where it met railway officials.

The FIR registered at the GRP station at Balasore indicated that live overhead wires got snapped when the accident occurred. The wire was entangled with a few coaches, electrocuting the passengers trapped in them.

Advocate Vishal Tiwari has filed a PIL in the Supreme Court for a direction to set up an expert commission headed by a retired judge of the top court to conduct a time-bound probe into the Odisha train accident of June 2, which claimed lives of over 288 people and left 1200 others injured.

His plea sought a direction for analysing and reviewing the current risk and safety parameters in the railway system and to suggest systematic modifications for strengthening it.

It also sought a direction for issuance of guidelines for the implementation of Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system called 'KAVACH' in Indian Railways with immediate effect to ensure public safety.

Read CBI FIR