GONDA/NEW DELHI, July 18: At least one passenger was killed and 35 injured when eight coaches of the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express derailed near Gonda in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday, an official said.
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Ambulances and medical teams were rushed to the spot between Motiganj and Jhilahi railway stations, about 150 km from the state capital, as news of the derailment came in.
The loco pilot heard the “sound of a blast” before the derailment, an official told reporters. But he did not elaborate.
There was confusion initially over the death toll.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak told PTI that four people were killed, with district magistrate Neha Sharma too giving out the same number to the media. A railway official, however, said two passengers were killed.
But about five hours after the 2.35 pm accident, the authorities revised the figures with District Magistrate Neha Sharma saying there was one death and one person thought to be in bad shape was “revived”.
“Prima facie, when teams reached the spot people were laying scattered there in bad shape due to which confusion prevailed,” she told PTI.
Bad weather affected the rescue operation for a while, but police and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) completed the task in a few hours.
In the evening, UP Relief Commissioner G S Naveen said the operation was over and nobody was trapped in the coaches. Only the tracks remained to be cleared.
He said 30 passengers had “minor injuries” and were being treated at two community health centres. Three were at the district government hospital and two referred to a Lucknow hospital.
Even before the relief teams arrived, passengers in the Assam-bound train had begun pouring out of the toppled coaches.
Some of them went back again to pull out their luggage. They then sat near the tracks, waiting as rescuers arrived.
“For a moment the coach was filled with dust and it was all dark. I don’t remember what happened in the next few seconds. I only remember the cries and that a passenger pulled my hand, and helped me get out of the window,” Sandeep Kumar recalled.
Dileep Singh, who was travelling up to Chhapra in Bihar, had climbed on to an upper berth for an afternoon nap when the accident took place at about 2.35 pm. He was thrown on to the berth on the opposite side.
A 40-member medical team and 15 ambulances reached the spot and more medical teams and ambulances were being sent, Relief Commissioner Kumar said during the initial stage of the relief operation.
“Train number 15904 Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express that left Wednesday night from Chandigarh derailed near Gonda Junction station between Motiganj and Jhilahi railway stations at around 2:37 pm on Thursday under the jurisdiction of North Eastern Railway (NER),” Sabyasachi De, a spokesperson said.
Eight of the 23 coaches went off the tracks, an official said.
Union minister and local MP Kirti Vardhan Singh visited the accident spot.
“Since this train was going to Dibrugarh from Chandigarh, a special train has left from Gorakhpur to carry the passengers to their destination. The train will stop at Mankapur railway station, and buses have been arranged to take passengers to the railway station,” Singh told PTI.
He said the railway’s technical team will investigate the cause of the accident.
The Railway Ministry said a high level inquiry has been ordered, apart from the probe by the Commission of Railway Safety.
The ministry said an enhanced ex-gratia amount of Rs 10 lakh will be given to the relatives of those killed. The grievously injured passengers will get Rs 2.5 lakh and those with minor injuries Rs 50,000.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed the local administration to ensure proper medical treatment for the injured.
The authorities released several helpline numbers, including 8957400965 (Gonda) and 8957409292 (Lucknow) and 9957555960 (Dibrugarh).
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