Jnaeswari LP & ALP, dismissed

Jnaneswari loco pilot, assistant dismissed

TNN | Feb 7, 2012.

MIDNAPORE/KOLKATA: The loco pilot and assistant loco pilot of the ill-fated Jnaneswari Express that derailed in West Midnapore in May, 2010, resulting in the death of 149 people, have been removed from services.

Their dismissal came in December, 2011, after the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) fixed the secondary responsibility on them for not abiding with the speed restrictions in that stretch.

"The CRS inquiry fixed secondary responsibility on loco pilot B K Das and his assistant T Devangan for violating the speed restriction in that stretch. They were served with major penalty chargesheets. The train was supposed to be moving at a maximum speed of 75 kmph but the actual speed was nearly 100 kmph. After a hearing, the two were removed from service. They have now appealed to the appellate authority for reduction of their sentences," a senior South Eastern Railway official said.

The guard of the train has also been punished for the same offence. He has been downgraded and no longer operates on a mail or express train.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Jnaneswari-loco-pilot-assistant-dismissed/articleshow/11785346.cms