Goods train hits stationary freight coaches in Bengal's Bankura, none hurt
Kolkata (PTI): A goods train collided with another stationary freight train at Onda in Bankura district of West Bengal on Sunday morning, a senior South Eastern Railway official said.
No one was injured in the accident, which affected train services in the Adra division of SER for over four hours, he said.
At least eight wagons derailed due to the collision, which happened around 4 am, the official said.
Train movement at Onda in the Midnapore-Adra section of Adra division was restored at 8.30 am, after urgent repair work was carried out, he said.
The derailed wagons were removed from the tracks on war footing, and the first passenger train to pass was the 18011 Howrah-Chakradharpur express at 8.35 am, he said.
The incident comes weeks after the train disaster at Bahanaga Bazar station in Odisha's Balasore district on June 2 in which 288 people were killed and hundreds injured.
Onda is around 250 km away from Bahanaga Bazar.
The SER official said the likely cause of Sunday's accident was that the driver of the moving goods train had overshot the home signal at Onda, which was red.
The train then went into the loop line, for which the point was likely to have been set on the tracks, and hit the stationary freight wagons, he said.
An enquiry will be held to pinpoint the cause of the incident.
At least 20 express and passenger trains were cancelled and some others were diverted via other routes due to the accident, he added.
VIDEO | "As of preliminary information, one of the goods trains was standing when it got hit by the other goods train. More details will be revealed after a detailed inquiry," says safety officer Dibakar Majhi at Onda Station near West Bengal's Bankura. pic.twitter.com/mgiJIwcE1U
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FIR registered against Karnataka seer over his remarks on voting power to Muslims
Bengaluru (PTI): An FIR has been registered against Vishwa Vokkaliga Mahasamastana Math seer Kumara Chandrashekaranatha Swamiji for his remarks on voting power to Muslims, police said on Friday.
He made the statement during a protest meeting organised by the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh here on Tuesday against notices issued by Karnataka's Waqf board.
Urging everyone to unite to protect farmers and their land, Swamiji said that a law should be brought in where Muslims community don't have the voting power.
Stating that it should be ensured there is no Waqf board, he said someone taking away someone else's land is not "Dharma".
"...everyone should fight against injustice being caused to farmers...it is said that the Waqf board can claim anyone's land. It is a big injustice...someone taking away someone else's land is not Dharma... So, everyone should fight to ensure that farmers' land remains with them," the seer had said.
However, on Wednesday, Swamiji expressed regret over his statement, calling it a "slip of tongue".
He said Muslims are also citizens of this country, and they too have voting rights like others.
Based on the complaint by a social worker, the FIR was registered against him on Wednesday at Upparpet police station here, police said.
"We have registered a case against him (Swamiji) under section 299 (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita," a senior police officer said.
