Balasore Train Accident: Indian Railways Denies Reports That Signal Junior Engineer Is Absconding

The South Eastern Railway has refuted the reports that one of its signal junior engineer was missing after interrogation by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with Odisha train accident.

The CBI had on Monday (19 June) sealed the rented house of Soro Section signal junior engineer (JE).

The agency is investigating the horrific accident on 2 June in which 292 people lost their lives.

The triple train accident earlier this month resulted in 287 deaths on the spot, with an additional five people succumbing to their injuries in hospitals. A total of 1,208 individuals were injured.

On 6 June, the CBI took over the investigation into the train accident in Balasore, Odisha, after filing a First Information Report (FIR) in the case.

According to media reports, the JE, named Amir Khan, was initially interrogated by the CBI at an undisclosed location.

When the agency officials reached Khan’s rented house in Soro on Monday, they found it locked and the entire family missing. 

However, the public relations officer of the South Eastern Railway has said in a statement in Hindi that the media reports were 'factually incorrect' and that the staff member is not missing.

Chief Public Relations Officer of South Eastern Railway, Aditya Kumar Chaudhary on Tuesday (20 June) clarified that all staff are part of CBI and Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) enquiry.

None of the staff are missing or absconding, he added.