Final report of Utkal Express tragedy submitted to Board: DRM

By PTI | Published: 31st December 2017 

Derailed coaches of the Puri-Haridwar Utkal Express train in Khatauli near Muzaffarnagar. (File | PTI)

MUZAFFARNAGAR: The final inquiry report into the major train accident in Khatauli in August has been submitted to the Railway Board and it has blamed several officials, including a junior engineer, for the tragedy that killed 23 people, a senior Indian Railways official has said.

Divisional Railway Manager (Delhi) R N Singh inspected Muzaffarnagar, Meerut and Khatauli railway stations yesterday.

He said the final report of the safety commissioner into the tragedy has been submitted to the Railway Board.

Several officials, including a junior engineer, have been blamed for lapses in the report, Singh told reporters here.

On August 19, fourteen coaches of the Puri-Haridwar Utkal Express jumped the rails in Khatauli, nearly 40 km from Muzaffarnagar, killing 23 people and injuring more than 150.

On August 30, the Railway administration suspended 13 employees at Khatauli station for lapses during duty hours.

Singh said the Railway Board was not considering to withdraw the action taken against the employees.