Credit: PTI Photos
Trains collide in Bengal's Darjeeling; 'shocked' Mamata initiates rescue ops
A passenger train and a goods train collided on Monday in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced, leading to the deaths of five persons, and injuries to at least 20-25 others.
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Visuals from the site of the accident
Visuals from the incidents shared on social media showed a horrific pileup, with mangled coaches dangling mid-air as a result of the collision.
Credit: PTI Photo
Credit: PTI Photo
At least 5 dead, 30 injured in train accident, say police
At least five passengers were killed in the accident, police officials told news agency PTI, adding that at least 30 have been injured.
The toll could climb as the clock ticks by.
Passenger shares first hand account of the accident
NDRF, SDRF deployed; injured being shifted to hospital, says Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in an update
Thoughts and prayers with families: Prez Murmu on 'distressing' accident
"My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured and success of relief and rescue operationsm," President Murmu wrote on X.
WATCH | NDRF, police personnel conduct rescue ops
Earlier, ministers used to resign for such accidents, says RJD leader in dig at BJP
"The country whose railways have been privatised, accidents will happen in that country. Earlier, when accidents happened during the Congress and UPA government, ministers used to resign. Now, no minister resigns after such big accidents. We don't have any hopes from this government...," RJD leader Bhai Virendra told news agency ANI.
Indian Railway officials monitoring the situation in Bengal
Poor management behind accident, Vaishnaw should resign, says Congress' Pramod Tiwari
"Wrong management, wrong policy, wrong step are behind the rail accidents. The load on tracks has been increasing but there is no impetus on safety," Congress leader Pramod Tiwari told PTI, commenting on the accident.
"The country had not recovered from the rail accident of Odisha and now this big accident has happened. The Rail Ministry is not able to manage. Railway Minister should resign," Tiwari added.
More visuals from the site of the accident
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Credit: PTI Photo
Credit: PTI Photo
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Too early to talk about cause of accident, says ex-Railways Minister Dinesh Trivedi
"It is too early to talk about the cause of it but in the modern times it required an inquiry and deep corrections...I am guessing that possibly this engine did not have 'Kavach' (an automatic train protection (ATP) system)...I've no doubt that the govt will take corrective action," Trivedi told news agency ANI.
PM Modi condoles loss of lives in accident
"Spoke to officials and took stock of the situation. Rescue operations are underway to assist the affected. The Railways Minister Shri @AshwiniVaishnaw Ji is on the way to the site of the mishap as well," Modi added in his post on X.
Vaishnaw leaves for Darjeeling to inspect accident site
Amid criticisim from parties such as the Congress and the RJD, Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw left for Darjeeling on Monday morning to inspect the site of the accident, news agency ANI reported.
Death toll rises to 15, at least 60 injured
While officials had initially stated that five people had died, that number climbed on Monday afternoon, as per news agency PTI.
The number of injuries was also revised from 30 to 60.
Prima facie evidence suggests human error led to accident, says Railway Board
"Prima facie suggests human error as the cause. The first indications suggest that this is a case of signal disregard. Kavach needs to proliferated, planned for West Bengal," Jaya Varma Sinha, Chairman & CEO Railway Board, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Rs 10 lakh for death, Rs 2.5 lakh for grievous injures, and Rs 50,000 for minor injuries: Ex-gratia announced
More visuals from the site of the accident
Credit: PTI Photo
Credit: PTI Photo
Credit: PTI Photo
Mamata to visit accident site to take stock of rescue ops, officials say
With Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw already on the way, officials told news agency PTI that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would also visit the train accident site in New Jalpaiguri to take stock of relief operations.
Visuals of rescue operations
Credit: PTI Photo
Credit: PTI Photo
Credit: PTI Photo
Will do what needs to be done, says Assam CM Sarma on train accident
19 trains cancelled in the aftermath of the accident
An image of the notice.
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Railway Board says goods train driver disregarded signal
The Monday morning collision near New Jalpaiguri happened because a goods train disregarded the signal and hit the Kanchanjungha Express, which was on way to Sealdah from Agartala, the Chairperson of the Railway Board has said.
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reaches Bagdogra airport, to visit accident site shortly
Visuals from the site of accident
Mamata blames railway ministry, says time for governance, not for utterance
"...They (Railway Ministry) don't care about passenger amenities. They don't even care about railway officials, railway engineers, railway technical staff and workers. They 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 rig the election... I think they should give more time for the governance, not for utterance."
via ANI
Accident is a result of mismanagement and negligence of Centre towards railways: Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda
"On behalf of the Congress Party, we pay our condolences. We pray for the speedy recovery of all those injured. The increase in railway accidents in the last 10 years is a result of the mismanagement and negligence of the Central Government towards the railways. Due to which, 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 as well. 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," Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda said.
via ANI
Ashwini Vaishnaw visits train accident site in Bengal's Rangapani
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw visited the site of the train collision at Rangapani near New Jalpaiguri station in West Bengal on Monday afternoon and took stock of the situation.
"Right now our focus is on restoration. This is the main line. The rescue operation has been completed. This is not the time for politics. I will also meet the injured, he said after visiting the site.
Ashwini rode pillion on a motorbike for some distance to the accident site as the road was narrow for bigger vehicles to move.
Anti-train collision system not in place on mishap route: Railway Board
The Railways’ ‘Kavach’ or anti-train train collision system was not in place along the Guwahati-Delhi route, where a goods train collided with the Sealdah Kanchanjunga Express in the rear on Monday, a top official said.
Ashwini Vaishnaw meets injured in hospital
Mamata Banerjee meets injured at North Bengal Medical College in Siliguri
Commissioner of Railway Safety will probe, says Vaishnaw
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) has started a probe into the cause of the accident in which a goods train rammed into the Kanchanjunga Express from behind in West Bengal's Rangapani on Monday morning.
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Nine killed, 41 hurt: Railway ministry
Seven passengers and two railway staffers were killed and 41 more injured in the Kanchanjunga Express accident in West Bengal's Darjeeling district on Monday, according to figures released by the railway ministry.
According to initial ground reports based on the statements of the local police, 15 people were said to have lost their lives in the accident. However, the ministry clarified that the number of deaths is nine, so far.
Mamata Banerjee should not do politics over this accident, says Union Minister Ramdas Athawale
On West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's statement, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale said, "Railway minister Aswini Vaishnaw is himself inspecting the accident...It is not right to say that BJP is responsible for these incidents...Mamata Banerjee should not do politics over this accident...The railway department should make sure that these kinds of incidents don't happen..."
Watch: West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose meets injured
Union Minister and West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar visits injured at North Bengal Medical College in Siliguri
Bengal train accident: What we know so far
A goods train rammed into the Sealdah-bound Kanchanjunga Express from behind in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district on Monday, killing at least nine people and 41 were injured.
Among the deceased were the pilot of the goods train and the guard of the passenger train.
The injured have been shifted to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital for treatment.
The collision occurred near Rangapani station, 30 km from New Jalpaiguri station, causing four rear compartments of Kanchanjunga Express to derail due to the impact from behind by the goods train's locomotive, the official said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences, calling the incident in West Bengal tragic and stating his prayers for the swift recovery of the injured.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reached the spot and took stock of relief operations and announced compensation for the injured and kin of the deceased.
While Rs 10 lakh would be given to the next of kin of the deceased, Rs 2.5 lakh would be provided to the grievously injured and Rs 50,000 to those with minor injuries.
Vaishnaw said the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) has started a probe into the cause of the accident and added that measures will be taken to prevent a recurrence of the circumstances that led to the accident.
According to preliminary information received from railway officials, the passenger train was stationary on the tracks when the goods train rammed into it from behind.