14 Dead, Human Error Possible Cause Of Andhra Train Collision

The train collision that led to the death of at least 14 people and injured 50 in Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh on Sunday evening was the result of a human error after protocols to navigate a route with a defective auto signal were bypassed, a preliminary inquiry report said.

- Neha LM Tripathi

A little past 7 pm on Sunday, the Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger train collided into the stationary Visakhapatnam-Palasa passenger train.

Among the deceased are the loco pilot S Madhusudan Rao (53) and assistant loco pilot, S Chiranjeevi (37), of the Rayagada bound train, and a guard of the Palasa bound train. Joint collector Mayur Ashok said: "13 died at the accident site itself and one succumbed while undergoing treatment."

The preliminary inquiry report, seen by HT, said that the Visakhapatnam-Rayagada train collided into the Visakhapatnam-Palasa train from the rear side, because of a defective signal, and the pilots of the former train failing to follow standard protocol in such cases.