'Accountability starts at top': Rahul Gandhi slams government over Mysuru-Darbhanga train accident, likens it to Balasore tragedy

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday attacked the Centre over the train accident in Tamil Nadu, saying no lessons have been learnt despite many lives lost in numerous accidents and asked how many more families must be destroyed before the government wakes up.

Gandhi asserted that accountability starts at the top.

An express train, at 75 kmph speed, hit a stationary goods train on Friday in Tamil Nadu as it entered a loop line instead of getting into the main line, railway officials said, adding that a number of passengers were injured and a coach caught fire.

In a post on X, Gandhi said, "The Mysuru-Darbhanga train accident mirrors the horrific Balasore accident–a passenger train colliding with a stationary goods train."

"Despite many lives lost in numerous accidents, no lessons are learned. Accountability starts at the top. How many more families must be destroyed before this government wakes up," the former Congress chief said.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also slammed the Centre over the train accident.

"Train accidents have become so common in the country that despite occurring one after another, neither any accountability is being fixed by the government nor any action is being taken," she said in a post in Hindi on her WhatsApp channel.

"Crores of common people of the country are forced to travel in trains running on the wheels of fear and chaos, risking their lives because the government has turned its back on the responsibility of safe train travel," she said.

Once again, an accident like Balasore has happened with the Mysore-Darbhanga Express in Tamil Nadu, Priyanka Gandhi said.

"When will this series going on for months stop? When will accountability be fixed," she asked.

Meanwhile, the Railway Board has said that no casualty has been reported so far in the passenger-freight train collision in the Ponneri-Kavarapettai section in Chennai Rail Division.

Dilip Kumar, Executive Director, Information and Publicity of the Railway Board, released a video message soon after the accident saying, "We received information of collision of the Bagmati Express with a freight train at the Kavarapettai station in the Chennai Division. Rescue and relief team reached the accident site immediately."