Apropos of the editorial ?Casing Files? (Financial Express, August 22), it is quite shocking that five important files relating to the infamous Coalgate scam are missing. Now the thing is that either the files have been hidden or destroyed deliberately to save the ?most important persons??whosoever they might be. If the loss of files for any reason can be used as the reason for allowing the culprit or culprits to go scot-free, it would really set a wrong precedent for other unscrupulous persons. The loss of files should be viewed seriously and the persons responsible for the loss, deliberately or unintentionally, should be charged with abetting the crime.
KV Seetharamaiah
Hassan, Karnataka
Bihar train tragedy
It is sad that a train mowed down pilgrims while they were crossing unmanned tracks in Bihar. Sadder still is the behaviour of the mob that assembled after the accident and brutally assaulted the train driver and set a dozen coaches on fire. The mob also ransacked offices and held railway staff hostage for several hours. This kind of violence and illegal behaviour of the mob is unacceptable, no matter what the circumstances. The fault was not entirely of the authorities. The clearance was given as the train did not have a stoppage at Dhamara Ghat, where the accident occurred. It appears the victims didn?t follow the rules while crossing railway tracks. The question to be asked is: When people take risks by not following rules, can the authorities be held responsible? It is now the duty of the concerned authorities to ensure that the law of the land is followed.
Mahesh Kumar
New Delhi
