BHUBANESWAR: Following the tragic Bahanaga train crash, the Government Railway Police registered a case against unknown persons for causing death and grievous injuries by acts of negligence.
Culpability of specific railway employees has not yet been ascertained and will be unearthed during the investigation, said the first information report which was registered at Cuttack.
The FIR was booked under 304-A of the Indian Penal Code (causing death by negligence) apart from sections 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life and personal safety of others) and 338 (causing grievous hurt).
It also invoked sections 153 (endangering safety of persons traveling by railway by willful act of omission), 154 (endangering safety of persons traveling by railway by rash of negligent act or omission) as well as 175 (Endangering the safety of persons) of the railway Act, 1989.
Punishment for railway servants on duty for compromising the safety of train travellers comes under the ambit of Section 175 of the Railway Act.
The highest punishment under all the above charges is five years of imprisonment along with a fine.
At least 275 passengers were killed and over 1,100 injured when the Coromandel Superfast Express rammed into a stationary goods train and derailed, hitting the Yeshwantpur-Howrah Express coming from the opposite direction on a parallel line at Bahanaga Bazar Station in Balasore on Friday night.
Government Railway Police sources said an investigation into the matter is underway and two DSP-ranked officers are carrying out the probe. The scope of the probe can be expanded if the role of others in the case emerges.