Rly probe finds rail fracture caused 2017 AP train derailment

New Delhi: The Commissioner of Railway Safety has attributed the 2017 derailment of Hirakhand Express in Andhra Pradesh that left 40 dead to a rail "fracture", three years after terror probe agency NIA stated in an FIR that it suspected "sabotage". In his final report on the accident, the Commissioner of Railway Safety (South Central Circle) Ram Kripal said the accident occurred due to a "fracture of tongue rail". The tongue rail –a nine-metre piece also called switch rail' –is linked to both rails on a track and helps a locomotive change directions.

The broken piece was found near the accident site and was handed over to the National Investigation Agency.

The CRS report makes no mentions of the NIA FIR, but says while the Civil Engineering Department of the East Coast Railway was "blameworthy", there was no official or any other person either "Primary Responsible" or even "Secondary Responsible" for the accident.

"Unfortunate incidents have happened in the past. However, these kinds of accidents as being mentioned in the report, are hopefully a thing of the past. An extraordinary amount of hard work has been put in by the Railways to eliminate such accidents and consequential casualties. Last two years have been the safest year in the history of Indian Railways with zero casualties due to railway accidents," Railway spokesperson DJ Narain said.

The NIA has not yet filed a chargesheet in the case.

The CRS report also said that its investigation could not establish if the fracture of the tongue rail happened because of material failure or out-lived codal life.