A team from the state forensic science laboratory of Bengal police visited the railway accident site at Choto Nirmaljote, a hamlet near Rangapani station in Darjeeling district, on Friday.

The four-member team inspected the area and collected necessary samples for investigation. They will soon submit a report based on their findings, said officials of the Government Railway Police (GRP).

On Monday, a goods train had dashed into the rear end of the Sealdah-bound Kanchenjunga Express while it was moving along a stretch where the automatic signaling system was not working.

Ten persons, including the loco pilot of the goods train and the guard of Kanchenjunga Express, died in the incident.

After the accident, the GRP registered a case at New Jalpaiguri (NJP) GRP station, blaming the deceased loco pilot and assistant loco pilot for it.

“A forensic team of the state police inspected the accident site. They have collected samples and will conduct various tests. In due course, they will submit their reports to us,” said S. Selvamurugan, the superintendent of railway police of Siliguri.

Sources in the GRP said the team had thoroughly checked the wreckage, including the damaged coaches, the track and adjoining areas. Later in the day, they left for Calcutta.

Janak Kumar Garg, the chief commissioner of railway safety (CCRS) of northern circle, who is conducting an inquiry into the accident, also visited the accident spot on Monday. Over the past two days, he has recorded statements of employees working in different wings of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR).

He was accompanied by Surendra Kumar, the divisional railway manager of the Katihar division of NFR, and some other officials.

On Thursday, Kumar, while talking to newspersons, had said that the inquiry would continue for some time as the CCRS would gather various details pertaining to the incident.

“He will also check out different documents and evidence to find out the speeds of both the trains and whether those on duty had adhered to all necessary formalities
as during that time, automatic signal was not working in
the section where the accident occurred,” said a source in NFR.

The railway authorities are also waiting for the recovery of Manu Kumar, the assistant loco pilot (ALP) of the goods train. Kumar, who is under treatment at a private nursing home in Siliguri, is stable but is yet to recover from the shock.