RAILWAY STAFF BLAMED FOR QUILON-MADURAI PASSENGER ACCIDENT

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Preliminary report of a statutory inquiry by the Commissioner of Railway Safety, Southern Circle, Shri Pranab Kumar Sen, into collision of 728 Down Quilon-Madurai Passenger train with the crawler crane/excavator loaded trailor of lorry No. TN 47C-4711 at manned non-interlocked level crossing No. 118 between Sengulam and Trinulveli Junction stations on Nagarcoil-Tirunelveli broad gauge single line non-electrified section of Trivandrum Division of Southern Railway at about 00.52 hours on October 8, 2003, has held that the accident occurred due to "Failure of Railway Staff."

As a result of this accident, one Railway staff died, three Railway staff were injured grievously and 17 passengers received simple injuries.

The provisional findings of the Commissioner appended to his preliminary report have been forwarded to the Government for its consideration.