Andhra CID to begin train accident probe

The CID additional director general said yesterday his department would investigate the Hyderabad-Bangalore Express train derailment to find exactly what happened in view of the growing suspicion of sabotage.

"Because of the controversy, we are taking up the investigation."

Twenty passengers died in the accident and some 90 others were injured when nine bogies of the fast train derailed at Ramlingay-apalli in the district of Kurnool on December 21. After four or five hacksaw blades and cigarette butts were found near the scene as well as iron filings found under the tracks at the accident site, a major controversy flared up on whether the derailment was due to sabotage or simply a fault of the track.

Forensic experts on Sunday collected fresh samples of the metallic filings and the damaged tracks for chemical analysis which they claimed would throw light on the cause of the mishap.

On Sunday the chief of police said sabotage could have been caused by "some mischievous and mindless elements" and not targeted at any particular train.

The head of the state-run forensic science laboratory said it was a clear case of sabotage as the track did not break due to any other causes.

"It was cut with an instrument and this we want to ascertain. Cutting the track must have taken place over a period of time and we are still investigating this angle."

Meanwhile, Naxalites of the Guntur district committee of the People's War Group blew up the foundation stone of the Pulichi-ntala project at Vajinepally in the Mellacheruvu mandal.

The foundation stone was laid by former Chief Minister NT Rama Rao on November 18, 1988 for the project to be built on the Guntur-Nalgonda border. Police said five militants planted the bombs and distributed leaflets to villagers around criticising the proposed project.

The police did not rush to the spot immediately as a precautionary measure but officials said after distributing the leafets they also told villagers that the project would immerse 35 surrounding villages, if built, and would only serve the needs of landlords in the Krishna district.

They also accused non-resident Indians who held a meeting there to support the project of doing so for personal gains. The Guntur Committee appealed to residents to oppose the project which it said was against the interests of the backward regions of Palnadu and Telangana.