Sainthia Train Disaster

Gag order on Uttar Banga Express guard

20 July 2010

Manas Bannerjee

SILIGURI, 20 JULY: The guard of the Uttar Banga Express, Mr Somnath Sengupta, who now seems to be the only person who can enlighten the probe committee in connection with the Sainthia train disaster, reached Howrah accompanied by railway officials this morning. He was taken under railway custody at Bandel station yesterday.

Asked to keep silent over the accident, Mr Sengupta, posted in Malda railway division in Eastern Railway, was allowed to speak to his family members over phone only last night, more than 12 hours after the incident.

Still in the grip of trauma, Mr Sengupta speaking to The Statesman over phone said: "I am now being taken to Howrah for deposition. I will speak only to the railway officials in charge of the probe. I have been instructed not to say anything about the accident except to the probe committee,” he said. “I am recovering now. I was injured when the Uttar Banga Express rammed into the stranded Vananchal Express. The pain has nearly disappeared following treatment,” he added.

The Malda divisional railway manager, Mr MK Mathur said that Mr Sengupta would depose before the Commissioner of Railway Safety for the next few days. "He told senior railway officials yesterday that he had used the emergency brake. The probe would confirm what actually happened to the ill-fated train. The inquiry team would check the records of the train speed from memory chips (window graphs) before the accident took place to verify his statement,” said Mr Mathur.