Patna/Sonpur (Bihar), February 3: At least seven passengers were killed and 29 others were injured early on Sunday morning when a rail fracture caused 11 bogies of the Delhi-bound Seemanchal Express to jump the tracks in Bihar’s Vaishali district, railway and police officials said.
The 12487 Jogbani-Anand Vihar Seemanchal Express originated from Jogbani in Kishanganj district and the accident took place around 4 am. Prima facie, the derailment was caused by a rail fracture, they said.
Chief Public Relations Officer, East Central Zone, Rajesh Kumar, said the accident took place at Sahadai Buzurg, close to Mahanar Road in the Sonepur division.
One general coach, one AC coach B3, three sleeper coaches — S8, S9, S10 — and six more coaches have derailed, he said.
Helpline numbers
Sonpur: 06158221645
Hajipur: 06224272230
Barauni: 06279232222
Principal Secretary, Disaster Management Department, Pratyay Amrit said seven people have died in the accident.
Six of the deceased have been identified as Ilcha Devi (66), Indira Devi (60), Shamsuddin Alam (26), Ansar Alam (19), Shaida Khatoon (40), Sudarshan Das (60), the Government Railway Police (GRP) said.
Of the 29 people injured in the accident, two have suffered grievous injuries, while 27 have received “simple injuries”, the GRP said.
The injured were rushed to a hospital here, where the doctors referred the seriously injured to Muzaffarpur and Patna.
The office of Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has announced Rs 5 lakh ex gratia each to kin of those killed, Rs 1 lakh each to the grievously injured people and Rs 50,000 each to those who received simple injuries.
“The rescue operation is in full swing and an accident relief train has been sent to the site of the mishap. A team of the NDRF has also reached the spot,” Kumar said.
Commissioner Railway Safety (Eastern Zone), Latif Khan, will conduct an inquiry into the accident, he said.
Adequate number of doctors are available on the spot, andmbulances have been pressed into service. Teams of doctors have also rushed from Sonepur and Barauni to the accident site, Kumar said.
Local residents were aiding rescue teams in carrying out the operation.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who expressed deep condolences over the deaths, said, “The district magistrate and the superintendent of police have rushed to the spot and are overseeing the relief work in coordination with the Railways.”
The 12 unaffected bogies are being moved to Hajipur where more coaches will be attached to the train and thereafter, it will leave for the onward journey, the officials said.
Expressing grief over the deaths, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi said: Twenty beds have been reserved for the injured at the NMCH and PMCHi in Hajipur.” He also urged the Congress, whose rally is scheduled today at the historic Gandhi Maidan, to keep the roads clear, so that ambulances could reach hospital in time.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi both expressed grief over the accident.
The prime minister said in a tweet: “Deeply anguished by the loss of lives due to the derailment of coaches of the Seemanchal Express. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover quickly. Railways, NDRF, and local authorities are providing all possible assistance in the wake of the accident”.
Gandhi urged party workers to help to the affected families.
“I am deeply pained by the Bihar train accident. I express my deepest condolences and grief for the families who have suffered in the accident,” Gandhi said in Facebook post. With PTI
