The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday arrested three railway personnel on the charge of culpable homicide, not amounting to murder and destruction of evidence in connection with the triple-train crash near Bahanaga Bazar railway station in Balasore district on 2 June, resulting in the death of at least 293 people, leaving over 1,000 injured.

“The SSE (Signal), Balasore, then SSE (Signal), Soro and then Technician, Balasore, have been arrested under Sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 201 (Causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender) of Indian Penal Code and Section 153 of Railways Act, 1989, in an on-going investigation of a case related to train mishap at Bahanaga Bazar Railway Station, Balasore( Odisha)”, according to a statement issued today by the premiere investigating agency.

The arrested railway personnel, according to the CBI, are Arun Kumar Mahanta (senior sectional engineer in Balasore), Mohammed Amir Khan (sectional engineer in Soro) and Pappu Kumar, technician posted in Balasore), who worked in Balasore. The accused trio had attempted to destroy evidence to evade detection of their role, the CBI stated.

The CBI had taken up the investigation of the horrific tragedy on 6 June following the request of Ministry of Railways, consent of the Odisha Government and further orders from the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) in connection with train mishap involving Coromandel Express, Yashwantpur-Howrah Express and a Goods train at Bahanaga Bazar in the State of Odisha on 2 June.  The case with regard to the rail tragedy was earlier registered at Balasore Government Railway Police Station of Odisha police, the statement added.

Since taking over the investigation on 6 June, CBI teams had inspected the site with forensic experts to gather on-the-spot evidence. The investigators had thoroughly examined the signaling system to ascertain the possible foul play, technical glitch or human error that might have led to one of the worst train mishaps in the country.

As the accused persons face charge under IPC’s Section 201 (Causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender), the incriminating role of railway personnel in the tragedy has been established, confided CBI sources.

The arrested accused persons will be produced before the designated CBI court in Bhubaneswar on Saturday, added the sources.