Suri/Calcutta, Feb. 16: A four-member committee was set up today to inquire into last night’s incident in which the Ranchi-bound Vananchal Express from Bhagalpur first failed to stop at Suri station and then overshot a red signal.

The train, whose driver missed the red light switched on by a cabinman a kilometre past Suri, travelled backwards for over 2 km from Chinpai to return to the station in Birbhum.

Sources said a collision could have occurred as the Up Howrah-Rampurhat Mayurakshi fast passenger was then approaching Suri on the single-line section from the opposite end.

Railway officials said the collision was unlikely as the fast passenger was stopped at Dubrajpur station. The Eastern Railway inquiry committee today visited the site, officials said.

Driver Ajit Kumar Singh, who was beaten up by passengers left behind at Suri and was later arrested by Government Railway Police, was today remanded in custody.

GRP officials said medical examination reports showed Singh had consumed alcohol yesterday morning but was not under its influence. “In the report, it has been stated that the driver admitted having consumed alcohol at 7 am on that day,” said Sunil Mullick, the superintendent of the railway police, Howrah.

“Last night, three doctors examined him at Suri Sadar Hospital and declared him mentally alert and physically fit,” Mullick added.

Singh underwent another routine check-up at the hospital today before being produced in the Suri subdivisional judicial magistrate’s court. But a blood test could not be done because of the lack of infrastructure, Mullick said.