'Signal for mainline but...': TMC leader shares ‘unverified audio’ on Odisha train crash

As the preliminary probe into the triple train collision in Odisha's Balasore points to some error which put the Coromandel Express on the track of the goods train, Trinamool leader Kunal Ghosh on Saturday shared a purported audio clip claiming that he could not verify the authenticity of the clip, but received it from his 'source'. The purported audio clip was a conversation between two railway officials discussing the reason for the massive crash which killed 288 people and injured over 900. Read | Odisha train accident: Rail minister Vaishnaw says ‘root cause’ identified

In the purported audio clip, one person said that the report was a bit contradictory to which the other person on the line -- who later in the conversation identified himself as deputy CSO (traffic), South Eastern railway Ashok Agarwal, said it was the preliminary report based on ground evidence and not everything was clear at that time.

The purported conversation followed as:

Caller: "So what is the final finding?"

Ashok Agarwal: "Point was set on the loop line but the signal was for the mainline"

Caller: "How is this possible?"

Ashok Agarwal: "Possible if there is some manipulation"

Caller: "But were they doing any job at that time?"

Ashok Agarwal: "Yes, some work was going on and some gadbad (mess) took place...the signal was through for the mainline, but the facing point was for the loop line."

Caller: "That's why the Coromandel Express collided with the goods train?"

Ashok Agarwal: "Yes sir, it collided with a goods train and then all coaches and locos scattered..some portion collided with this 2864 (Bengaluru-Howrah)"

What caused the massive triple-train collision?

Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday said the 'root cause' of the mishap has been identified and the report will be submitted soon. Investigation so far suggests that the Coromandel's collision with the goods train took place first when the Coromandel entered the loop line in a probable signalling error. A signal was given to the Coromandel Express to enter the main track but the signal was later withdrawn. The Coromandel entered the loop line at a very high speed and crashed into the goods train.