Mamata demands CBI probe over W.Bengal train mishap

KOLKATA - Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into Friday’s Gyaneshwari Express train mishap.

Addressing a press conference here, Banerjee said the mishap was part of a political conspiracy hatched against her.

“The CPM should not indulge in politics, let the state government speed up the probe,” she said.

Banerjee also informed that the Railways would also investigate the incident independently.

“Let the investigation be complete, whoever is found guilty will be punished severely,” Banerjee said.

Attacking the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist), she alleged that the state government did not co-operate during rescue operations.

Banerjee said many questions still remained unanswered over the incident, but maintained that an explosion caused the sabotage of the rail tracks.

“This is an heinous crime,” she said.

Meanwhile, the death toll in the Mumbai-bound Gyaneshwari Express derailment rose to 110 as more bodies were pulled out from the wreckage of the mangled coaches.

The railway and disaster management teams are working round the clock but it will take several more hours for the tracks to be restored.

Scores of anxious relatives have been running from pillar to post trying to gather some information, hoping their loved ones are not among the dead or the injured.

Over 3000 security force personnel were involved in the rescue operation.

“It will take eight to ten hours more to clean up the track as the tracks are broken. The coaches of the train are lying beside the track but the tracks are damaged,” said Jaladhar Shastri, railway worker. (ANI)