New Delhi: The death toll in the Bikaner-Guwahati Express mishap has risen to 9 and more than 45 people are injured. 12 coaches of the Bikaner-Guwahati Express train derailed and some coaches overturned near Domohani in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district on Thursday. The injured are being treated at hospitals in Maynaguri and Jalpaiguri.
“Since some of them are in a critical condition, the death toll may go up,” Jalpaiguri District Magistrate Moumita Godara Basu told news agency PTI. The DM further added, rescuers thoroughly searched each coach for survivors and bodies overnight.
#UPDATE | Death toll in Bikaner-Guwahati Express mishap has risen to 9. Rescue operation is over. 36 injured were admitted to different hospitals. Passengers were sent to Guwahati by special train: Union Minister John Barla
(Latest visuals from the spot in Domohani, Jalpaiguri) pic.twitter.com/MpoLsrZnLZ
– ANI (@ANI) January 14, 2022
The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) said in a statement in Guwahati that the rescue operations have been completed.
Commissioner, Railway Safety, will conduct an inquiry into the cause of the accident, a railway official said in New Delhi.
The accident occurred around 5 pm in an area under the Alipurduar division of NFR. There were 1,053 passengers on board the train at the time of the derailment.
A train ferrying stranded passengers to Guwahati left the accident site at 9.30 pm and is expected to reach the Assam capital around 2 am on Friday, Special DGP (Law and Order) GP Singh said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the tragedy when they were in the middle of an online meeting to review the Covid situation in the country with other CMs.
“Spoke to Railways Minister and took stock of the situation in the wake of the train accident in West Bengal,” PM Modi later tweeted.
President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu too expressed grief over the accident and wished speedy recovery to those injured.
“The derailment of coaches of the Bikaner-Guhawati Express near New Maynaguri, West Bengal is distressing. My thoughts and prayers are with the affected passengers and their families. I wish a speedy recovery to the injured, Kovind tweeted.
Vice President Naidu said he was deeply saddened by the loss of lives. “My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” the Vice President’s Secretariat tweeted, quoting Naidu.
The Railways have announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of those killed in the accident, Rs 1 lakh to the grievously injured, and Rs 25,000 for passengers with simple injury.
The Indian Railways has issued a helpline number 8134054999 to answer queries from the passengers.
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