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

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.

New Delhi: Drawing a parallel between the Mysore-Darbhanga train accident and the Balasore tragedy, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday targeted the Union Government over frequent rail accidents asking how many more families must be destroyed before it wakes up.

He said no lessons have been learnt despite many lives lost in numerous accidents.

Rahul demanded accountability after the express train hit a stationary goods train on Friday in Tamil Nadu while entering a loop line instead of getting into the main line, leaving a number of passengers injured and a coach catching fire.

In a post of 'X' he 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," he added.

Close to 300 people were killed and hundreds injured when three trains collided in Balasore in June last year.

Attacking the union government, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said 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.

"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.

She also referred to the Balasore accident and said once again such an accident has happened. "When will this series going on for months stop? When will accountability be fixed?" she said in a post on 'X'.