Runaway freight train incident leads to termination of station master and three others

Following an incident in February where an unmanned freight train traveled 84km uncontrolled, the Indian Railways has terminated the services of four employees involved in the negligence. The terminated employees include the station master of Kathua railway station, Triveni Lal Gupta, locomotive engineers Sandeep Kumar and Pradeep Kumar, and pointsman Sh. Mohd Sami. They were earlier suspended for their roles in the incident.

Negligence leading to potential risk

The termination came after an inquiry revealed that the engineers forgot to engage the brakes when the train halted at Kathua station, supposedly for a tea break. This negligence could have resulted in potential loss of lives and property, causing concern among railway officials. The incident caused significant traffic disruption, delaying several train schedules.

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Despite repeated counseling by supervisors, the terminated employees were found to have adopted shortcuts at Kathua station, leading to severe consequences. The station master and locomotive engineers failed to follow instructions and ensure proper stabling, contributing to the train's unauthorized movement.

Immediate action and accountability

Railway authorities took immediate action to terminate the employees involved, holding them accountable for their negligence. The termination communication highlighted the failure of the station master and locomotive pilot to comply with safety protocols, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation.

To prevent similar incidents in the future, railway officials are likely to implement stricter safety measures and reinforce adherence to standard operating procedures. Further investigation into the incident will aim to identify systemic weaknesses and improve safety protocols to prevent such incidents from occurring again.

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