Chennai, October 12: The Southern Railway has launched an investigation into the derailment of the Mysore-Darbhanga Bagmati Express that occurred on Friday evening, October 11, near Kavaraipettai in Chennai. The train collided with a stationary goods train, causing 13 coaches to derail and resulting in injuries to at least 19 passengers. Southern Railway’s chief commissioner of Railway Safety, A.M. Choudhary, is leading the inquiry, summoning various railway staff, including the loco pilot, station masters, engineers, and inspectors.
The incident is described as "unusual" by Southern Railway general manager R.N. Singh, who pointed out that the express train had entered the loop line despite signals being set for the main line. A statutory inspection of the site has been conducted, and the possibility of sabotage is also under investigation, with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arriving to assess the situation. A potential signal failure is being considered as the cause of the accident.
The Government Railway Police in Korukkupet have registered a case, while rescue operations, led by the National Disaster Response Force, began immediately after the accident. The inquiry is being held at Southern Railway’s Zonal Headquarters in Chennai.
