Siliguri(West Bengal): At least nine people have died and 41 others were injured after a goods train rammed the Kanchanjungha Express, from the rear, in the morning. The incident happened between Nijbari and Rangapani railway stations, which falls under the jurisdiction of North East Frontier Railway, and three coaches -- two parcel vans and a guard van -- of the express train got derailed. Another van is partially damaged.
According to sources, the goods train driver, co-pilot and the Kanchenjunga Express guard are identified as dead over the tragic incident. Additional Superintendent of Police, Darjeeling, Abhishek Roy earlier said, "At least five persons have died. Fire brigade, state disaster relief rescue personnel and the police are trying to rescue people. We have presently rescued around 25 injured passengers and they have been rushed to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital for treatment. Search is on to locate others who were in the damaged and mangled coaches.”
Senior Railway officials rushed to the spot. The police said rescue efforts were being hampered due to incessant downpours in the area.
The railways have already issued helpline numbers to coordinate rescue efforts. The helpline numbers at Sealdah station are (033)23508794, Howrah station - (033)26413660, Malda station - (03512)284264 and Katihar station - 9002041952. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee have taken to X and have expressed anguish and concern over the incident. The Railway Minister reached the accident spot and also met the injured at the hospital.
Officials of the NF Railway have not yet confirmed the exact reason behind the accident. Questions about how the goods train came close to Kanchanjungha Express from the rear on the same line, did the express train made an unscheduled stop, was there any signalling system malfunctioned or whether the inclement weather had any role to play, are yet to be answered.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi consoled the loss of lives and in a post on X stated, "The railway accident in West Bengal is saddening. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. Spoke to officials and took stock of the situation. Rescue operations are underway to assist the affected. The Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is on the way to the site of the mishap as well."
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lashed out at the Railway Ministry saying that they do not care for passenger amenities. "...They (Railway Ministry) don't care about passenger amenities. They don't even care about railway officials, railway engineers, railway technical staff and workers," Mamata, who is also the Trinamool Congress chief, told reporters.
"They (railway officials) are also in trouble. Their old pension has been withdrawn. I am completely with the railway employees and railway officials. They are trying their best. But this government only cares about the election. How to go for hacking, how to go for manipulation, how to go for rigging the election... I think they should give more time for the governance, not for utterance," added the West Bengal Chief Minister.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Deepinder Singh Hooda said that the increase in railway accidents in the last 10 years is a result of the mismanagement and negligence of the Centre towards the railways.
"Due to this, the lives of passengers are being lost every day. As a responsible opposition, we will continue to question this negligence and will seek answers from the government in Parliament. Along with this, as our national president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi have appealed to our Congress workers in their statements to ensure that Congress workers contribute as much as possible in relief work," Hooda told reporters in New Delhi.
Following the train mishap, at least 24 trains have been either diverted or cancelled. The Railways has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of the deceased and Rs 2.5 lakh to those who have been grievously injured and Rs 50,000 to the injured.
Today’s accident brought back the dreadful memories of last year when on June 2, a speeding Coromandel Express rammed into a goods train at Bahanaga Bazar railway station in Odisha. 21 coaches of the superfast train were derailed, while three of those also collided with the passing Bengaluru-Howrah superfast express.
289 people died in that accident and more than 1200 others were injured. In 2022 the Bikaner-Guwahati Express derailed near DoMohani, leading to the death of five persons. The accident happened within the jurisdiction of the same NF Railway. Darjeeling MP Raju Bista has reached the accident spot and is overseeing rescue efforts.
