Last update:08 November 2024, 14:20 IST

While on the phone with his wife during working hours, a station master’s occasional “OK” was misinterpreted as a green signal, leading a train into a Naxal stronghold.

Although there was no accident, the violation of restrictions at night resulted in a loss of 3 million lei to the railways. (PTI Representative/File)

Cases of employee negligence leading to financial losses for the Railways are not uncommon. However, in one case, a seemingly harmless phone call between an employee and his wife turned out to be exceptionally costly, resulting in a loss of 3 million lei for the Railways.

The station master, while absentmindedly talking to his wife during working hours, responded with a casual “OK” to a question. This offhand remark was misinterpreted as a green signal by a locomotive driver, who then drove a train straight into a Naxal stronghold. The department took swift action, suspending the station chief for lack of judgment.

The station chief’s attempt to end a heated phone call with his wife by using the word “OK” had unintended consequences. His word was mistakenly interpreted as authorization to send a train to a Naxal-hit area, setting off a chain of events.

The station master, a resident of Visakhapatnam, was married to a woman from Durg. According to court records, their marriage was registered on October 12, 2011. However, the bride’s lingering feelings for a previous boyfriend led to marital discord. She had confessed to her husband about her emotional attachment, creating tension in their relationship.

Despite assurances from the wife’s parents, she continued communication with her ex-partner, even making phone calls even in the presence of her husband. The marriage was already on shaky ground when one night she called the stationmaster during his shift, leading to another argument.

Eager to end the conversation, he said, “We’ll talk at home, okay?” unaware that his microphone was on. His colleague, hearing only “OK”, mistook it as a signal to clear a freight train on the restricted train. route. Although there was no accident, the violation of restrictions at night resulted in a loss of 3 million lei to the railways.

The station master’s suspension exacerbated his marital woes. At his wits end, he filed for divorce in a Visakhapatnam family court. His wife countered with a complaint under Section 498A (cruelty and harassment) of the IPC, naming him, his 70-year-old father, elder brother, sister-in-law and maternal uncle.

Citing threats to her life, she moved the Supreme Court, successfully transferring Durg’s case. When the Durg family court dismissed the divorce petition, the railway employee appealed to the Chhattisgarh High Court, according to his lawyer.

The High Court said the wife’s allegations of her husband’s affair with his sister-in-law, dowry demands and cruelty were baseless. A division bench granted the man a divorce, concluding that his wife’s persistent arguments over the phone, false accusations and baseless accusations amounted to “mental cruelty”.