Major railway disaster averted in Jorhat, gate man suspended

From a Correspondent

JORHAT, June 8: A major disaster was averted last night after an inebriated sigl man at the Seuni Ali railway crossing left the gates open and kept active the sigl for any train to pass.

Incidentally at around 10:30 pm, the BG Express, having more than 20 coaches, passed through the crossing while avoiding collision with on-road vehicles and general commuters by mere seconds.

The sigl man, identified as Chandradhar Borah, has been placed under suspension.

The incident has left authorities baffled.

Jorhat police led by OC Pradip Rajbonshi, TSI Tulumoni Duwara and Jibon Marak responded immediately after an SOS call from a jourlist who apprised them of the incident. They first broke open the door of the technical room and found Chandradhar Bora lying drunk on a cot.

Bora is an ex Army subedar who later joined the Indian Railways on retirement.

RPF and GRP personnel reached one-and-a-half hours of the incident, that too when the Jorhat police sent a vehicle to bring the railway staff to the spot.

Inspector Dilip Tiwari of Jorhat RPF Unit first suspended the sigl man and then sent him for medical examition. Thereafter, another sigl man was deputed at the gate.

Talking to The Sentinel, Inspector Tiwari said, “We do not have enough manpower or any vehicles for immediate movement. Today, there were two other accidents and we were busy with them. However, after receiving the information and discussion with senior officers of the Tinsukia Division, I have suspended the sigl man. Once we have the medical report, we will initiate departmental proceedings.”

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