New Farakka Express derailment: Railways suspend two officials

Railways suspended two officials Thursday over derailment of the New Farakka Express, senior officials said.

They said that the signal inspector and the electrical signal maintainer were suspended to facilitate the probe.

"The indications are that the cause of the accident was prima facie wrong signalling. We have suspended the two on the recommendation of the chief commissioner railway safety to ensure that no evidence is tampered with," a senior official of the railways said.

Senior section engineer, signalling, Bachrawa, Vinod Kumar Sharma and electrical signal maintainer at Kudanganj, Amarnath have been suspended, Northern Railway spokesperson Deepak Kumar said.

Five coaches and the engine of the New Delhi bound New Farakka Express derailed near Rae Bareli early Wednesday, killing at least seven people and seriously injuring nine.