PATNA: A day after loco pilots of the Gwalior-Barauni Express (11123) stopped the train near a railway crossing close to Siwan station in Bihar to have tea, the Railways on Saturday ordered an inquiry into the strange act.
According to North Eastern Railway (NER) chief public relations officer Pankaj Singh, the guard and loco pilots have been asked to give an explanation. “Action against the railway staff would be taken after the completion of the inquiry,” he added.
As per eyewitnesses, the train had reached Siwan station at 5.27am. “It was perhaps the assistant loco pilot who got down from the locomotive and walked to a nearby stall to fetch tea. The train left Siwan station at 5.30am for its onward journey towards Hajipur after getting the green light. The loco pilot knew it well that his assistant was not present inside the locomotive cabin. He wilfully stopped the train when it reached near the tea stall where the assistant pilot was waiting with cups of tea in his hands,” one of the eyewitnesses said.
Siwan station master Anant Kumar said the matter was brought to the notice of the station director, who took it up with the divisional railway manager in Varanasi. According to sources, vehicles remained stuck on both sides of the railway crossing due to the train’s unscheduled stoppage. Even an ambulance with a patient was stuck.