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Railway Board Chairman A K MIttal quits after two derailments in a week

by IBNS 23 Aug 2017, 09:43 am

New Delhi, Aug 23 (IBNS) : Railway Board Chairman A K Mittal has tendered his resignation following two train derailments within a week in Uttar Pradesh, media reports said.

The report, however, quoted its sources as saying that  Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has not accepted the resignation yet.

Early on Wednesday morning, eight coaches of Delhi-bound Kaifiyat Express derailed near Auraiya district, following which around 74 people were injured.

 On Saturday, 23 passengers died and over 60 sustained injuries when 14 coaches of the Utkal Express, which runs on the Puri-Haridwar-Kalinga route, derailed at Khatauli in Muzaffarnagar.

Prabhu had directed the Railway Board Chairman to fix responsibility after the Muzaffarnagar incident. He also said that he would not allow laxity in operations by the Railway Board.

Member Engineering Railway Board Ashok Mittal was on Sunday sent on leave after the prima facie evidence showed negligence on the part of maintenance staff as the reason why the Utkal Express derailed. 

A host of railway officials from the rank of Divisional Manager to junior engineer have either been sent on leave or suspended or transferred.