Court orders Railway authorities:

‘Do not remove engine from crash site’

Wijayani EDIRISINGHE and Suraj A Bandara

In response to a request made by the Alawwa Police, court directed Railway Department officials that the engine of the recently collided train should not be removed on any grounds till investigations are over. The Government Analyst is also due to check the engine and the location to ascertain whether the train crash was a result of human or technical failure.

IGP N.K. Ilangakoon ordered an indepth inquiry into the train mishap which occurred near the Alawwa railway station where five people, including the engine driver, his assistant and a German national, died and over 35 persons were injured. Accordingly, SSP Vaas Gunawardena under the directives of senior DIG Pujith Jayasundara has started a detailed examination to find out the cause of the accident.

Initial police investigations have proved that the guard of the train failed to use his break though the engine driver was convinced that there was a signal defect at the time of the accident. Over 40 statements have been recorded by the police and none of them have mentioned that the guard had taken any preventive methods to prevent the crash.

If the guard was able to use the break system fixed at his guard room, the tragedy could have been averted, police said.

“There were no signs on the railway track to indicate that he had used his break system, police said.

Police recorded statements from the Alawwa station master, the guard of the train that crashed, 10 railway officials, one injured police constable, two Burmese nationals pursuing higher studies at the Peradeniya University, the chief engineer of the control unit, and a number of eye witnesses. ASP Alahakoon, IP Athapaththu and Alawwa police OIC D.B.M. Kalanasiri are conducting investigations.