3 railway personnel arrested over India's train crash that claimed 293 lives

In the first arrests in connection with the horrific train accident which claimed 293 lives in the eastern state Odisha's Balasore in June, India's Central Bureau of Investigation probing the incident yesterday took into custody three railway personnel.

All the three personnel arrested by the CBI are from the signalling department and posted in Balasore district of Odisha, reports our New Delhi correspondent quoting CBI spokesman RC Joshi.

The probe agency apprehended Senior Section Engineer (signal; in-charge) Arun Kumar Mahanta, Senior Section Engineer (Signal) Mohammed Amir Khan and technician Pappu Kumar, he added.

The trio have been questioned several times since the CBI took over the case on June 6, CBI officials said.

The personnel have been held for their involvement in crimes under Indian Penal Code sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 201 (destruction of evidence) and Section 153 of the Railways Act, they said.

Officials said the maximum punishment under IPC section 304 can extend up to ten years, while for 304-A it is two years.

The accident involved three trains: Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express, Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and a stationary goods train.