Two officials suspended over Laloo’s three-hour train delay

The control room had signalled the goods train on its way to Indara from Katihar ahead of Laloo’s train. The engine of the goods train failed after travelling a short distance from Bada Gopalpur station. As a result Laloo’s train which was following it was shunted for nearly three hours, the sources said.

Laloo had taken exception to the matter. Faced with the ire of the Minister, the Chief Controller (Traffic) of Sonepur Division P K Pandey and driver of the goods train Nripendra Kumar Singh have been suspended, the sources said.

Meanwhile, in Bardhaman, West Bengal a group of villagers allegedly attacked and assaulted the Asansol Divisional Railway Manager and his driver near Sitarampur railway station while they objected to power pilfering from the railway power system, railway sources said.

The drm, a K rawal, said that when his driver Pritam Yadav opposed the the power pilfering the villagers attacked him. When he rushed to save the driver he was also assaulted, Rawal alleged.

The driver was treated at a hospital, he said. The railway police have filed a case in this connection, the drm said, adding that no arrest has been made.