The Union home ministry has decided to turn down the railway ministry’s request for a CBI probe into the Sainthia train collision, a move that can be seen as a rebuff to Union railway minister and Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee,
Ms Banerjee is in for disappointment as the move comes despite the Left Front government giving its consent for a Central probe into the West Bengal train mishap. The decision is expected to be conveyed to the railway ministry soon.
Ms Banerjee’s ministry had written to the home ministry soon after the July 19 train collision, in which nearly 60 passengers were killed, seeking a CBI probe into it. The railways had also sought viscera reports of the deceased locomotive drivers whose train had rammed into a stationary train at Sainthia station in West Bengal. The home ministry ordered a forensic examination of swabs taken from the loco drivers. Government sources said the swabs had been sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory in Hyderabad and on being examined had exhibited no trace of any drug.
The move to turn down the railway ministry’s request for a CBI probe comes as a setback to Ms Banerjee’s “sabotage” theory in this accident. Several political parties, including the BJP and CPI(M), have been accusing Ms Banerjee of being busy with West Bengal politics at the cost of her ministry. The Trinamul Congress chief, who spends most of her time in her home state West Bengal, is eyeing the 2011 Assembly elections. Ms Banjeree’s opponents have alleged utter neglect of maintenance and safety and security of passengers resulting in repeated train mishaps.