It is the missing links and the missing memos which are giving the investigators probing the Sainthia train tragedy sleepless nights.
Vananchal Express remained at Sainthia station even after its scheduled departure time. But an enquiry has led the investigators to a dead end due to the absence of an official memo that could have explained the reason behind the detention.
“Vananchal Express arrived at Sainthia station at 1.52 am and was scheduled to leave at 1.57 am. The accident occurred at 2.02 am. This is apparent that the train was detained at the station for five more minutes. But why? When we checked the official memos of the railway station office, we found no record of its detention. Otherwise, it is mandatory to keep record of any unusual detention. Even if it rains, it is kept on record in official memo of the railway office,” told an investigator.
Sources said, even detention of the train was not communicated to either the cabin room or the assistant station master, who is suppose to monitor the train movement. “The all clear signal was flashed for the Vananchal Express but it did not chug out of the station in time. The loco pilot of the Vananchal Express has revealed that the guard did not give him the all clear signal. But the reason was not communicated to him by the guard. So, there is no mention of it in the official memo. And now as the guard is dead, it is hard to know the reason without the memo,” added the investigator.
Locals, however, have floated a story. As Sainthia is a major trade hub, many consignments of vegetable and spices are loaded and unloaded at Sainthia railway station. Usually the train is kept detained for more than its scheduled time. And on the fateful night, it was the same case which led to the extra detention of Vananchal Express. Even some railway officials, on condition of anonymity, bought this story but with missing memos, it will always remain “unofficial”. Allegations have even surfaced against the guard — Amritangshu Mukherjee that he himself had pulled the chain to load some baskets of chillies.
The case of Uttarbanga Express is more curious. The loco pilot M.C. Dey and assistant loco pilot N.K. Mondal took charge of the train from Malda station after 19 hours of rest. So, they were not fatigued. Even a section of officials expressed on Monday that the loco pilot and the assistant loco pilot could have been under the influence of liquor or sedative which made them unconscious. But preliminary post mortem reports of these two deceased have revealed “no trace of alcohol or sedative in their stomach.
The Uttarbanga express made an unscheduled halt at Gadadharpur station, barely eight kilometres away from the Sainthia station at 1.53 am.