The Congress and other opposition parties questioned the need to hand over the case to the CBI (Image Credits: India Today) On Tuesday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officially took over the investigation into Odisha's triple-train accident, which claimed the lives of over 278 people and left about 1,100 injured.
Before starting its investigation, the probe agency was in the process of collecting documents and statements and on Monday, a team of the CBI had visited the train accident site in Balasore.
The development came after the Odisha police registered a case under various sections of the IPC and Railway Act including those related to causing death by negligence in connection with the accident.
The case was registered under various IPC sections like 37 and 38 (related to causing hurt and endangering lives through rash or negligent action), 304A (causing death by negligence) and 34 (common intention), and sections 153 (unlawful and negligent action endangering lives of Railway passengers ), 154 and 175 (endangering lives) of the Railways Act.
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had announced on Sunday a CBI probe had been recommended into the Odisha train accident. "Based on the information received so far, the Railway Board has recommended that the matter has to be handed over to CBI," said Vaishnaw.
The Congress and other opposition parties questioned the need to hand over the case to the CBI but officials stressed that findings of a preliminary probe like "deliberate interference" in the system necessitated the investigation by a professional agency.
Meanwhile, on Monday morning, the first high-speed passenger train - Howrah-Puri Vande Bharat Express - passed through Balasore, with wreckage from the accident still lying near the tracks and workers cleaning the site.
The train slowed down to a crawl as it passed by the site of the train crash near Bahanga Bazar station.