"Since the accident has taken place during a country-wide bandh we want this to be probed. Who has caused this mishap? It has to be seen whether this is truly an accident or an incident," Banerjee, a former railway minister, told reporters at the state secretariat.
"We have also seen this during the Jnaneswari Express accident. I am shocked. But mere sympathy for the accident victims is not enough," she said referring to train disaster of May 10, 2010 in which 141 passengers were killed in West Midnapore district.
Asked specifically if she suspected sabotage, Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress chief, said that this was for the railways to ascertain.
About Banerjee's sabotage theory in the derailment of Howrah-Dehradun Doon Express that left five persons dead and 50 injured, Railway Minister Mukul Roy, who belongs to her Trinamool Congress, said though nothing can be said for certain at the moment, he referred to the statement of Member (engineering) in the Railway Board that foul play could not be ruled out.
He said a high-level probe has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the derailment.
On the possible cause for the accident, Railway Board member A P Mishra said it could have been "due to excessive heat causing track expansion or some miscreant activity."