13 people lost their lives in Chhattisgarh rail accident due to arbitrary rules of officers (symbolic picture)
Jagran correspondent, Bilaspur. The preliminary investigation report of the Chief Safety Commissioner (CRS) in the case of MEMU train accident on November 4, 2025 near Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh has exposed the serious negligence of senior officials of the zone.
In the investigation, the zone officials had argued that under the rules of the Railway Board, MEMU trains can be operated by appointing an assistant loco pilot as a partner along with a loco pilot who has failed in the psychological test, which was completely rejected by the CRS.
It has been clarified in the report that the Railway Board had issued a clear order on 15 October 2024 that it is completely prohibited to give the responsibility of operating MEMU in the hands of any loco pilot without passing the psychological test, despite this the zone implemented its rule in clear violation of the board's order.
In this accident, MEMU train hit a standing goods train strongly, due to which 13 passengers including pilot Vidyasagar died. Assistant pilot Rashmi Raj saved her life by jumping from the engine in time.
The responsibility of investigating the accident was handed over to Chief Safety Commissioner BK Mishra, posted in Kolkata, who investigated the incident site and recorded the statements of more than 91 officers and employees. The report states that the cause of the collision was non-compliance with train operating standards.
It is noteworthy that Loco Pilot (Goods) Vidyasagar, resident of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, had passed the promotional course of Loco Pilot (Passenger), but he failed in the mandatory psychological test for the motorman category.
Despite this, he was entrusted with the operation of MEMU train. CRS has clearly mentioned this negligence of Railways. After the accident, Railways sent Senior Divisional Operation Manager (DOP) M. Alam, whose responsibility was to assign duty to the pilots, on force leave.
13 people lost their lives in Chhattisgarh rail accident due to arbitrary rules of officers, serious negligence of senior officers exposed
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