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'Sabotage' caused Rajdhani train accident: Probe report

A probe by the commissioner of railway safety into the Howrah-Delhi Rajdhani train accident has provisionally concluded that 'sabotage' caused the mishap that claimed over 100 lives and injured 154.

The statutory inquiry was conducted by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (Eastern Circle-Kolkata), Mahesh Prasad.

Twelve bogies of the luxury train derailed in the accident.

Hours after the accident, Union Railways Minister Nitish Kumar and Railway Board Chairman I M S Rana spoke of sabotage being the cause of the accident, which was hotly contested by the Bihar government and the state police.

The Bihar government had pointed to the 'weak condition' of the bridge over Dhawa river for the derailment.

After a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani the next day, Kumar said it was decided not to discuss in public any possible reason for the accident saying they would instead await the report of the statutory inquiry by the commissioner of railway safety.

Meanwhile, the Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Laloo Prasad Yadav described the findings as 'stage managed and doctored'.

"The preliminary finding by the CRS has been influenced by the theory of sabotage which was claimed by Railway Minister Nitish Kumar and the Railway Board chairman. The finding is absolutely absurd," Yadav said.

He said the Bihar police was continuing its probe.

The RJD national spokesman and Bihar Excise Minister, Shivanand Tiwari, said, "The findings of the inquiry committee are biased and predetermined... we will contest it in court."

Complete Coverage of the Accident

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