Mishap: Bike fuel started the fire

ANANTAPUR: Railway officials on Friday, here, suspended four parcel section officials in connection with the Hampi Express mishap, which claimed 25 lives on May 22, at Penukonda railway station.The officials came to the conclusion that fire started from the luggage carrying bogie, adjacent to the ladies general compartment, just behind the train engine, when the train rammed into a stationary goods train. The investigating officials concluded that the fire had sparked from the fuel in the two-wheelers being carried in the parcel van and found fault with the parcel section officers, for not making proper inspection before packing and writing receipts for the bikes.Prior to packing a motor bike, the railway parcel section personnel should properly inspect and should load the particular bike, only after removing all fuel from the tank. However, the parcel staff blindly loaded the two two-wheelers without checking the fuel tank. The fuel in the bikes caused the fire and majority of the victims in the ladies compartment were charred to death.Against this backdrop, the railway officials have released orders on Friday suspending two parcel officials working at Hospet railway station in Karnataka and Dharmavaram railway station in Anantapur district. It was also learnt that the railway police have arrested Hampi Express driver Yesurathnam, his assistant Balaraju and rail guard Bhagawan and produced them before the official enquiry team, in Bangalore.No official declaration has been made so far, regarding the arrests.Meanwhile, the investigation process into the train mishap continued on Friday too, where 126 railway employees working in different cadres under Guntakal and Dharmavaram station areas deposed before the investigation team.