At least six people are feared dead while around 67 persons have been injured after 12 coaches of Bikaner-Guwahati Express train derailed in Domohani area in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district on January 13 evening.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was chairing a virtual meeting with the chief ministers on the COVID-19 situation at the time of the accident, took information about the mishap from West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
According to initial reports, the Bikaner-Guwahati Express 15633 (UP) started from Bikaner in Rajasthan and was heading to Guwahati in Assam via Patna when the accident took place near Maynaguri in Jalpaiguri district at around 5.15 pm on January 13.
Maynaguri was not one of the train’s 34 stoppages and the Bikaner Express was merely passing Jalpaiguri at the time of the incident.
The Indian Railways said that 12 coaches have been affected, adding that the DRM and ADRM rushed to the site along with the accident relief train and medical van.
According to railway authorities, 4 of the 12 coaches have been fully damaged and the rescue teams, including that from NDRF and BSF, were trying to cut open the coaches with gas cutters.
“If there are people inside the fully-damaged coaches, the number of deaths will increase. One coach is reported to have fallen into the water. We are trying to find out the condition of the coach. It has become dark, so the rescue operation is getting delayed,” a senior railway official said.
As per NF Railway, there were around 1,053 passengers on board the ill-fated train.
“Deeply concerned to hear about the tragic accident of the Bikaner-Guwahati Express in Maynaguri. Senior officers of the state government, DM/SP/IG North Bengal are supervising rescue and relief operations. Those injured will receive medical attention as early as possible,” Banerjee said.
“In an unfortunate accident, 12 coaches of Bikaner-Guwahati Exp. derailed near New Maynaguri (West Bengal) this evening. Personally monitoring the situation for swift rescue operations,” Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw tweeted.
Meanwhile, the railway authorities have announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the deceased, Rs 1 lakh for the seriously injured, and Rs 25,000 for the injured persons.
According to the railway authorities, the reason behind the accident is yet to be determined but there was no problem regarding signal, and it is feared that the derailment took place because of some problems on the track.
“The state rescue team along with three teams from NDRF are working on the rescue operations. The injured persons are being transferred to the Jalpaiguri Super Speciality Hospital, while the seriously injured people are being sent to the North Bengal Medical College,” said the district magistrate of Jalpaiguri, Moumita Godara Basu.
