CHENNAI: AM Chowdhary, Commissioner of Railway, Safety, Southern Circle on Sunday said that he has enquired about the injured passengers, who are undergoing treatment at the GRH, Madurai, and is going to the spot to take statements and analyse all the evidence in the Madurai train fire accident.
"I have enquired about the passengers, who were in the hospital. Now I am going to the incident site. After I take all the statements and analyse all the evidence then I will complete the enquiry," he said.
As per the reports, tourists had travelled from Lucknow in a special train coach to Tamil Nadu on a spiritual tour. However, nine people were burnt to death when a fire broke out in a stationary coach, as they were found using a cooking cylinder in the wee hours on Saturday to make tea. Fire tenders were rushed to the accident spot, and the fire was put off by 7 hours apporx. An autopsy of the recovered bodies was done at the Madurai Government Hospital.
With respect to the "illegal smuggling" of cooking gas cylinder in the tourist coach by the tour operator, a criminal case has been registered against him by the Government Railway Police (GRP) under various sections of the IPC and Railways Act.
Meanwhile, the mortal remains of nine victims, who died were brought to Chennai airport on Sunday morning. The remains are being taken to their native State.
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On Saturday, condolences came from all corners for this tragedy, with the Southern Railway, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, and Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath announcing compensations for the victims' families. Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi, President Droupadi Murmu, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi also expressed condolences for the victims and their families in the train fire accident.
(With inputs from the Bureau)