Indian Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw said “a change in the electronic interlocking” - signaling system - was the cause of the tragic train crash, news agency ANI reports.

According to him, the railway safety commissioner conducted an investigation and established the cause of the incident, as well as those responsible for it.

“We have identified the cause of the accident and the people responsible for it,” Vaishnaw told ANI, but said it was "not appropriate" to reveal details before the final investigation report is out.

A preliminary investigation showed that a signal was given for the Coromandel Express train to enter the main track line, but the signal was later taken down. The train overran another line, known as the loop line, and crashed into a freight train parked there.

The tragic crash took place on Friday evening in the Balasore district of India's eastern state of Odisha.