Dikhyaa Mohanty 
As part of its ongoing investigation into the tragic triple train accident that killed 289 persons in Odisha, India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sealed the leased home of the Soro Section signal junior engineer (JE). The JE, identified as Amir Khan, was originally questioned by the CBI at an unidentified location, according to a report from the Indo-Asian News Service on Monday. Khan’s leased home in Soro was locked when agency representatives arrived there on Monday, and the entire family was vanished. The rental home was later sealed by the CBI. According to the report, two CBI agents are closely monitoring the residence.
The installation, maintenance, and repair of signalling equipment, such as signals, track circuits, point machines, and interlocking systems, are within the purview of the signal JE. Overall, they are essential in guaranteeing uninterrupted, secure railway operations.
It is therefore crucial to take note of the railway authorities’ insistence that the Odisha train catastrophe was caused by “deliberate interference with the electronic interlocking system.” Rinkesh Roy, the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Khurda, was reported by The Times of India as saying, “You receive green signal only after completing all the pre-conditions, such if the route is fixed and everything is okay. Technically, there is never a green light when there is even a little issue; it always turns red. It can’t turn green unless someone has physically messed with it, that is, until someone has tampered with it.
The CBI assumed control of the investigation into the railway tragedy that happened in Balasore, Odisha, on June 6. In relation to this occurrence, the CBI has already started a First Information Report (FIR). In this instance, claims of tampering with the electronic interlock system after the accident led to the CBI’s intervention.
Officials expressed worries about intentional sabotage of the electronic interlocking system, which is in charge of transmitting information on the status of trains. The CBI personnel assigned to the case may not have much experience dealing with railway-related issues, therefore it is probable that their knowledge and skills will be needed as the investigation moves further. An inquiry is reportedly ongoing to establish if five railroad personnel, including the station master at Bahanaga Bazar, may have been involved.
