West Bengal: Bikaner-Guwahati Express derails at Mainaguri
KOLKATA: Five passengers are feared to have died following the derailment of several compartments of Up-Bikaner-Guwahati Express around 5pm on Thursday at Domahani in Mainaguri area of Jalpaigari, West Bengal.
The Guwahati-bound train derailed between New Domohani and New Mainaguri stations and four of the compartments were majorly damaged. Some of the passengers were thrown off the train in the impact of the accident and one compartment toppled on top of another. The train left New Domohoni station around 4:53pm and soon after, the train faced the accident, an official said.
Some of the compartments had toppled off the track. However, a senior railway official said that due to the pandemic situation, there were fewer passengers in the train. He said that rescue operations have been started and floodlights and cranes have been sent to the spot.
Around 50 ambulances were sent to the spot to ferry injured passengers. Doctors of the local hospital were also asked to reach the spot. Even North Bengal Medical College was asked to keep arrangements ready for the accident passengers.
DM of Jalpaiguri, Moumita Godara Basu, said that five dead bodies were spotted and more than ten critical passengers were sent to the hospital. Sources said that around 15 passengers were said to be critical and were admitted to the Mainaguri hospital. The salvage operation was affected due to darkness for which the railway brought in cranes and lights to conduct the rescue. The officials are trying to trace injured passengers inside the toppled compartments. Chief minister Mamta Banarjee during a virtual meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday conveyed to him about the train accident. A compensation of Rs 5 lakh has been announced for the kin of the deceased.
PM Modi spoke to railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to take stock of the situation. “Spoke to Railways Minister Shri @AshwiniVaishnaw and took stock of the situation in the wake of the train accident in West Bengal. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover quickly”, he tweeted.
Senior railway officers and police officers have reached the spot o coordinate the rescue operaion. Local people are also trying to assist the rescue operation.
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