News Analysis India

Tag: Rajdhani Express

  • Two jumbos die, one injured after being hit by Rajdhani Express

    Express News Service

    GUWAHATI:  Two elephants, including a calf, were killed after being hit by Rajdhani Express in Assam. Another sub-adult elephant was injured in the incident, which occurred on Sunday midnight at Kharikatia near Mariani in Jorhat district of upper Assam.

    The elephants had strayed out of the Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary, 5 km away from the site of the incident. While one of the slain elephants was 22 years old, the other was aged 10 months. The forest department said the railway authorities were alerted about the movement of the jumbos.

    “The site is outside the normal speed restriction zone. Nevertheless, our staff on duty did alert the railway authorities,” Assam’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests MK Yadava told this newspaper. However, a senior railway official said the accident occurred at a notified elephant corridor where there is a 50 kmph speed restriction. “The loco pilot had applied the emergency brake but the train did not stop before hitting the elephants,” the official said.

    The local residents expressed anger as the veterinary doctors arrived several hours later to treat the injured elephant. A team of forest officials and police personnel were at the site, monitoring her health and movement. She covered a distance, crawling.

    “We are in the field, giving treatment to her. We gave antibiotics with food. She has eaten it,” Divisional Forest Officer Nandha Kumar told this newspaper from the site. He said the animal was not tranquilised as the vets said it might collapse if it has internal bleeding and is tranquilised.

    “We have to keep her under observation for the next 24-48 hours. If she is not able to walk even after 48 hours, we will have to tranquilise her to treat her properly,” Kumar said. 

    GUWAHATI:  Two elephants, including a calf, were killed after being hit by Rajdhani Express in Assam. Another sub-adult elephant was injured in the incident, which occurred on Sunday midnight at Kharikatia near Mariani in Jorhat district of upper Assam.

    The elephants had strayed out of the Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary, 5 km away from the site of the incident. While one of the slain elephants was 22 years old, the other was aged 10 months. The forest department said the railway authorities were alerted about the movement of the jumbos.

    “The site is outside the normal speed restriction zone. Nevertheless, our staff on duty did alert the railway authorities,” Assam’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests MK Yadava told this newspaper. However, a senior railway official said the accident occurred at a notified elephant corridor where there is a 50 kmph speed restriction. “The loco pilot had applied the emergency brake but the train did not stop before hitting the elephants,” the official said.

    The local residents expressed anger as the veterinary doctors arrived several hours later to treat the injured elephant. A team of forest officials and police personnel were at the site, monitoring her health and movement. She covered a distance, crawling.

    “We are in the field, giving treatment to her. We gave antibiotics with food. She has eaten it,” Divisional Forest Officer Nandha Kumar told this newspaper from the site. He said the animal was not tranquilised as the vets said it might collapse if it has internal bleeding and is tranquilised.

    “We have to keep her under observation for the next 24-48 hours. If she is not able to walk even after 48 hours, we will have to tranquilise her to treat her properly,” Kumar said.
     

  • Another feat for Railways as premier trains to Guwahati go fully electric

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  On the eve of Diwali, the Railways achieved a major feat to facilitate the faster run of prestigious trains like the Rajdhani, the Tejas-Rajdhani and others from the northeast to New Delhi on the seamless electric tractions faster than earlier.  

    This has been possible now with the completion of electrification of 647 km of rail route between Katihar in Bihar and Guwahati.

    The Railways now switch over the Rajdhani, the Tejas-Rajdhani and other superfast trains to run from northeast states to New Delhi on electric traction.  

    From October, the North Frontier zone of the Railways has already started running the Brahmaputra Mail on the electric traction from October 22 after the completion of electrification.  

    Rajiv Jain, additional director general (PR), Railways, said that Guwahati will now be directly connected with big cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai, on 25KV AC railway traction.

    Outlining the economic benefits, he said that the railways will have a net saving on forex reserves to the tune of Rs 300 crore per year following a reduction in consumption of 3,400 kl of High Speed Diesel (HSD) oil per month.

     “Greenhouse gas emission will also fall reducing the carbon footprint,” he said.

  • 1993 trains blast case: SC asks TADA court to frame charges against accused in three months

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday directed a special TADA court in Ajmer, Rajasthan to frame charges within three months against an accused jailed for 11 years for serial blasts in multiple Rajdhani Express and other trains in 1993.

    The top court kept the bail plea of Hameer Ui Uddin, who was arrested in 2010 by the Uttar Pradesh police, pending and said it would be considered after the framing of charges against him.

    A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and BV Nagarathna asked the CBI to facilitate the presence of co-accused Syed Abdul Karim alias Tunda lodged in Ghaziabad jail before the special court for framing of charges in the case and ensure the trial in the matter begins.

    The top court listed the matter for further hearing on December 10.

    At the outset, advocate Shoeb Alam, appearing for Hameer Ui Uddin, said that the facts of the present case are shocking and the petitioner is innocent at this stage as no trial has been conducted.

    He said that there is no basis for detaining him, without even framing of charges, for more than 10 years in a case, where it is legitimately expected that the maximum sentence he may get is life imprisonment.

    “The CBI in its counter affidavit has taken a perverse plea that the framing of charges was delayed in the absence of the original records. There is no need for original records to launch prosecution or conduct a trial. The CBI manual prescribes preserving records and case property, for a period of 30 years, in case of absconding accused persons. There are always multiple copies of the records that are available and charges could be framed,” Alam said.

    The bench said that it understands that there is a delay and even the special judge in its report has cited three reasons– pendency of application of accused of legal aid lawyer for seven years, non-appointment of the public prosecutor, and non-availability of original records of the case.

    Alam contended that there is an unconscionable failure of justice by the trial court not granting a lawyer to the accused for a period of seven long years.

    “It’s not only a constitutional guarantee to the accused but it is also a statutory duty of the trial court under section 304 CrPC. These rights of the petitioner have been grossly violated and there is no explanation for that,” he said.

    The lawyer said that bail in TADA offences is granted to those accused, who had absconded, and the rights of the accused guaranteed under Article 21 which is the speedy trial in the present case, trump any other statutory prohibition for grant of bail.

    The bench said that the only problem it is facing is that this court has upheld the conviction of co-accused in the case and they have been awarded life imprisonment.

    Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for CBI, said that the accused has absconded for 17-long years and he cannot be released on bail, as there is apprehension that he will not return back at the time when there is conviction and life imprisonment of the co-accused.

    Raju said that he understands that there is a delay in commencement of trial but for that majorly the accused is to be blamed and CBI had played a minor part.

    The bench said 11-years is not a minor part.

    The top court had earlier asked the CBI to either convict the accused or acquit him but don’t delay the commencement of trial and said that the accused has been in jail for 11-years without even framing charges against him.

    It had sought a report from the special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) court judge in Ajmer explaining why charges have not been framed against Hameer Ui Uddin.

    The Rajasthan government has earlier claimed that the main reason for the delay in the framing of charges is that one of the co-accused Syed Abdul Karim alias Tunda is lodged in the Ghaziabad jail.

    Then either you separate the trial or club the trial with his case but at least start the trial, the top court had said.

    In his plea filed through advocate Farrukh Rasheed, the petitioner has challenged the TADA court of March 27, 2019, rejecting his bail application.

    As per the prosecution case, on December 5-6, 1993, serial bomb blasts took place in Rajdhani express trains — Mumbai to New Delhi, New Delhi to Howrah, Howrah to New Delhi — Surat-Baroda Flying Queen Express, and Hyderabad-New Delhi AP Express.

    Two passengers lost their lives in the blasts and 22 suffered injuries.

    Five different cases were registered at respective police stations in Kota, Valsad, Kanpur, Allahabad, and Malkaj-Giri.

    These cases were later transferred to the CBI and re-registered under TADA at Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, and Hyderabad.

    The investigation found that the bomb blasts were an outcome of one single conspiracy and hence all cases were clubbed together.

    On August 25, 1994, the CBI filed a charge sheet against 13 accused, who were arrested, and nine other absconding accused.

    Hameer Ui Uddin was shown as absconding.

    The charge sheet alleged that he was one of the accused who carried bomb devices and explosive substances to Kanpur on December 5, 1993.

    Hameer Ui Uddin was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Police and Lucknow Special Task Force on February 2, 2010, and was produced before the Ajmer TADA court on March 8, 2010, which remanded him to judicial custody.

    In 2010, an 8000-page charge sheet was filed against him under various provisions of the TADA and Explosive Substance Act, Prevention of Damages to Public Property Act, and the Indian Railways Act.

  • 1993 trains blast case: SC irked as accused jailed for 11 years without framing of charges

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: “Convict him or acquit him,” an anguished Supreme Court observed on non-framing of charges on an accused jailed for 11 years over serial blasts in multiple Rajdhani Express and other trains in 1993.

    Underlining the right to speedy trial, the top court sought a report from the special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act court judge in Ajmer explaining why charges have not been framed against Hameer Ui Uddin.

    “The Special Judge, Designated Court, Ajmer, Rajasthan is directed to submit a report to this Court within a period of two weeks from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order.The report shall clarify why charges have not been framed,” a bench of justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah said.

    In its order passed recently, the bench said that to facilitate the submission of the report expeditiously, the registrar (judicial) will communicate a copy of the order to the judge directly as well as through the Registrar (Judicial) of the High Court of Rajasthan.

    During the hearing, advocate Shoeb Alam, appearing for Hameer Ui Uddin said the petitioner has been in custody since 2010 but charges have not been framed and trial is yet to commence. He said that detaining an accused indefinitely without trial is a gross abuse of rights of an individual under Article 21.

    Alam contended that the special TADA court ought to have granted bail to the petitioner as there is no prospect of the conclusion of the trial in the near future. “The allegations are yet to be proved in trial and there is no justification of pre-trial incarceration for 11 years,” he said.

    Advocate Vishal Meghwal, appearing for the State, admitted that that charges have not been framed against the accused, but contended he was absconding for nearly 15 years. The bench then asked why the charges have not been framed when he has been in custody since 2010.

    “He is entitled to speedy trial. Convict him or acquit him, we have no problem with that but at least hold the trial. He cannot be kept in custody indefinitely without trial,” the bench observed. Meghwal contended that the main reason for the delay in framing of charges is that one of the co-accused Abdul Karim Tunda is lodged in the Ghaziabad jail. “Then either you separate the trial or club the trial with his case but at least start the trial,” the bench said.

    Alam said the Tunda case is not mentioned by the state in its counter-affidavit. In his plea filed through advocate Farrukh Rasheed, the petitioner has challenged the TADA court of March 27, 2019 rejecting his bail application.

    As per the prosecution case, on December 5-6, 1993, serial bomb blasts took place in Rajdhani express trains — Bombay to New Delhi, New Delhi to Howrah, Howrah to New Delhi — Surat-Baroda Flying Queen Express and Hyderabad-New Delhi AP Express.

    Two passengers lost their lives in the blasts and 22 suffered injuries. Five different cases were registered at respective police stations in Kota, Valsad, Kanpur, Allahabad and Malkaj-Giri. These cases were later transferred to the CBI and re-registered under TADA at Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Hyderabad.

    Investigation found that the bomb blasts were outcome of one single conspiracy and hence all cases were clubbed together. On August 25, 1994, the CBI filed chargesheet against 13 accused, who were arrested, and nine other absconding accused.

    Hameer Ui Uddin was shown absconding. The charge sheet alleged that he was one of the accused who carried bomb devices and explosive substances to Kanpur on December 5, 1993.

    Hameer Ui Uddin was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Police and Lucknow Special Task Force on February 2, 2010 and was produced before the Ajmer TADA court on March 8, 2010 which remanded him to judicial custody.

    In 2010, an 8000-page charge sheet was filed against him under various provisions of TADA and Explosive Substance Act, Prevention of Damages to Public Property Act and the Indian Railways Act.

  • Goa-bound Rajdhani Express derails inside tunnel in Maharashtra; all passengers safe

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Goa-bound Rajdhani Express from Hazrat Nizamuddin derailed inside a tunnel in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra early on Saturday, but there was no report of injury to any passenger, an official said.

    The train – 02414 – was going to Madgaon in Goa when it derailed inside Karbude tunnel, approximately 325 kms from Mumbai at around 4.15 am, a spokesperson of the Konkan Railway, which operates the route, said.

    He said that a boulder had fallen on the tracks, which led to the derailment. “The front wheel of the locomotive of Rajdhani superfast train derailed in Karbude tunnel located between Ukshi and Bhoke stations in Ratnagiri region of the Konkan Railway,” the official said.

    A rail maintenance vehicle (RMV) has reached the site and an accident relief medical van (ARMV) having re-railing equipment has left for the site from Ratnagiri for the restoration work. “Konkan Railway officials have also rushed to the site to clear the line,” he said.

    The Konkan Railway operates 756 km-long route between Roha near Mumbai and Thokur near Mangalore. This route, which is spread across three states – Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka – is one of the challenging terrains with many rivers, gorges and mountains.