MADURAI: Following a fire accident in an IRCTC tourist coach at Madurai Railway yard that claimed the lives of nine people on Saturday, Commissioner of Railway Safety, Southern Circle, Bengaluru, AM Chowdhary conducted an inquiry and said there was no conspiracy in the incident.
Meanwhile, all survivors, except one person who is undergoing treatment in Government Rajaji Hospital, were sent to Lucknow by flight, sources said, adding that the bodies of the deceased people were also sent to their native places on Sunday.
In the presence of Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Padmanabhan Ananth, AM Chowdhary held an inquiry with the seven survivors, including six with minor injuries and a bystander, at the Railway Hospital in Madurai. He also held an inquiry with the railway staff concerned and two kitchen assistants who escaped from the yard following the incident.
Addressing the press, he said there is no conspiracy in the incident. “I held an inquiry with everyone connected to this. I will submit a report within a month, in which suggestions to prevent such incidents will be included,” he said.
At the end of the inquiry, we will know what kind of actions will be taken against the persons responsible for the incident. He inspected the Railway Yard and the coach that was gutted, following which he also interrogated the officials of Madurai Division of Southern Railway. Similarly, Mukul Kumar Executive Director/Safety ll/Railway Board inspected the affected coach.
Sources said officials from the forensic department collected several samples, including burned currency bundles consisting of Rs 500, Rs 200, and Rs 100 notes, yellow moong dal, cooking oil can, Bengal gram, and other edible products kept inside the affected coach. They also collected parts of the exploded gas cylinder, sources added.