A serious incident at Tatanagar railway yard on Tuesday morning has once again brought to light the persistent neglect of safety protocols in Indian Railways. Loco Pilot Md. Ehteshamuddin was critically injured after being struck by a shunting rake of the Tata-Ernakulam train near the Loco Gate. He was returning from duty after handing over his locomotive when the accident occurred.
According to sources, the rake hit Ehteshamuddin during reverse movement, causing him to fall. His left leg came under the wheels, resulting in severe injuries. He was immediately rushed to Tata Motors Hospital in critical condition. Fortunately, Assistant Loco Pilot Ganesh Kumar, who was accompanying him, narrowly escaped the accident.
The incident has sparked widespread anger among loco pilots and railway staff, who have blamed the operating department’s shunting procedures for the mishap. They pointed out that after a similar incident in the past, the Railways had implemented a system to install audio alarms at the rear of rakes during shunting operations. These alarms were meant to alert workers of incoming rakes even in low-visibility or dark conditions. However, the practice was reportedly discontinued after a few days.
Loco pilots argue that had the audio alarm been in place, Tuesday’s accident could have been avoided. The Railway Men’s Union has also expressed strong resentment over the incident. MK Singh, divisional convenor of the union, stated that a union delegation would soon meet the regional manager to demand a high-level investigation into the matter.
This incident has caused outrage among loco pilots across Chakradharpur division, many of whom directly hold the operating department responsible for what they term “unsafe shunting practices.”
It is worth noting that a similar accident took place in Barauni, where a staff member was fatally crushed between an engine and a coach during shunting. Following that, the Railway Board had issued multiple safety directives to prevent such occurrences. Yet, Tuesday’s incident at Tatanagar is a stark reminder that those safety measures are not being strictly followed.
Railway authorities are yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident.