Vasco Da Gama-Patna Express train derailment: Rail official suspended

The derailed coaches of the Patna-bound Vasco Da Gama Express train seen near Manikpur railway station in Uttar Pradesh. Photo: AFP

New Delhi: The Indian Railways today suspended a senior section officer in-charge of tracks in connection with the 24 November derailment of the Vasco Da Gama Express which left three passengers dead.

Thirteen coaches of the Patna-bound passenger train had derailed near Manikpur Railway Station in Uttar Pradesh.

“A permanent way inspector also called a senior section officer, Rajesh Verma, who was in-charge of Manikpur has been suspended over the incident pending investigation”, railway spokesperson Anil Saxena told PTI.

While the real reason behind the accident will be ascertained only after a probe by the Commissioner of Railway Safety, initial investigations suggested that a rail fracture led to the derailment.