Rajgir (Bihar): The Indian Railways continue to provide astounding examples of how passenger safety is compromised every day.
In Bihar, which has in the recent past supplied several railways ministers including quotable-quote-giver Lalu Prasad Yadav, a train ran for four kilometre without a driver. A tense chase brought it to a halt.
On Saturday evening, the Shramjeevi Express arrived from Delhi in Rajgir in central Bihar, 100 km from Patna. While it was in the parking bay, it suddenly began moving on the tracks.
The station master noticed this aberration and quickly sounded an alert. All movement for trains approaching the station on the same track was stopped.
Security guards, other train driver and officials were slow off the mark, which led to a four-kilometre chase. Because the train was moving relatively slowly, they were able to jump into the driver's cabin and pull the brake.
An inquiry on Sunday revealed that the train began moving because while turning off the engine and bringing down its systems, the driver made a technical mistake. The brake failed and so the train began moving on its own.
Two train drivers and supervisors have been suspended.
