Six dead, 37 injured as Seemanchal Express train derails in Vaishali, probe begins
Kumod Verma, Debashish Karmakar | TNN | Updated: Feb 3, 2019, 23:51 IST
PATNA/HAJIPUR: At least six passengers died and 37 were injured after 11 coaches of Delhi-bound Jogbani-Anand Vihar Seemanchal Express derailed at Sahadai Buzurg railway station near Hajipur in Vaishali at 3.58am on Sunday. The accident site is around 50km from Patna. It is a single line section on Barauni-Bachhwara-Hajipur route under the Sonepur division of East Central Railway (ECR).
Senior ECR officials said the coaches, prima facie, derailed due to rail fracture. ECR chief public relations officer (CPRO) Rajesh Kumar said, “Rail fracture is common during winter. This is caused due to low temperature which often damages the tracks. However, the real cause and other factors would be known after completion of the probe by the commissioner of railway safety (eastern circle) Latif Khan,” he said.
Vaishali DM Rajiv Raushan said the deceased were identified as Sudarshan Das (60), Ilcha Devi (60), Indra Devi (65), Saida Khatoon (45), Ansaar Alam (21) and Shamshuddin Alam.
The DM said eight injured passengers were discharged from Sahadai Buzurg primary health centre while 29 others were admitted to the district Sadar hospital. “Seven of the 29 injured passengers were referred to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) and one was in the ICU as his condition was serious,” Raushan said.
“Sudarshan was from Bela while Ilcha and Indra belonged to Baluahi village in Khagaria district. The other three were from Kona Kamaat village of North Dinajpur district in West Bengal,” the DM said, adding search and rescue operations ended at around noon.
The railways has announced an ex gratia payment of Rs5 lakh each to the kin of every deceased. Besides, railways would pay Rs1 lakh to the grievously injured and Rs50,000 to those who suffered simple injuries.
Bihar government has also announced ex gratia payment of Rs4 lakh to the next of kin of each of the deceased and Rs50,000 to the injured.
ECR general manager L C Trivedi said the reason behind the accident would be ascertained only after the probe to be conducted by the commissioner of railway safety (CRS). “The CRS has been directed to do start the probe tomorrow. It will take 15 to 20 hours to restore traffic on this section as nearly 300 metres of the tracks have been badly damaged due to the derailment. We have to first remove the damaged coaches from the tracks. Then, the electric wires will be repaired to run the trains,” the GM told TOI from the accident site.
Meanwhile, Railway Board chairman Vinod Kumar Yadav, Board member (engineering) Vishwesh Choube and DG (RPF) Arun Kumar rushed to the accident site from Delhi by air to take stock of the situation. Yadav also visited the Sadar hospital to inquire into the conditions of the injured passengers.
The train starts from Jogbani. It had travelled around 350 kilometres and was running around 40 minutes behind the schedule when the accident took place. Most of the passengers were fast asleep that time.
The CPRO said 12 unaffected coaches of the ill-fated train with 1500 passengers were brought to Danapur from where they were sent to Anand Vihar Terminal by a special train. “Railways are providing all facilities to the affected passengers, including refund of tickets for those who did not wish to travel further,” he said.
“Railways, the district administration and six NDRF teams carried out the search and rescue operations. Several ambulances and medical teams were pressed into action for moving the injured passengers,” he said.
Surprisingly, antisocial elements pelted stones on the police, officials, rescue workers and others at the accident site in the afternoon without any provocation. One person sustained head injuries in the incident.
Tirhut divisional commissioner Narmadeshwar Lal said all facilities were provided to the railway officials in the rescue operations.
ECR also issued helpline numbers which were functional at Sonepur, Hajipur, Barauni and Patna.
Helpline numbers
Sonepur: 06158-221645
Hajipur: 06224-272230
Barauni: 06279-232222
Patna: 0612-2202290, 0612-2202291, 0612-2202292, 0612-2213234
Senior ECR officials said the coaches, prima facie, derailed due to rail fracture. ECR chief public relations officer (CPRO) Rajesh Kumar said, “Rail fracture is common during winter. This is caused due to low temperature which often damages the tracks. However, the real cause and other factors would be known after completion of the probe by the commissioner of railway safety (eastern circle) Latif Khan,” he said.
Vaishali DM Rajiv Raushan said the deceased were identified as Sudarshan Das (60), Ilcha Devi (60), Indra Devi (65), Saida Khatoon (45), Ansaar Alam (21) and Shamshuddin Alam.
The DM said eight injured passengers were discharged from Sahadai Buzurg primary health centre while 29 others were admitted to the district Sadar hospital. “Seven of the 29 injured passengers were referred to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) and one was in the ICU as his condition was serious,” Raushan said.
“Sudarshan was from Bela while Ilcha and Indra belonged to Baluahi village in Khagaria district. The other three were from Kona Kamaat village of North Dinajpur district in West Bengal,” the DM said, adding search and rescue operations ended at around noon.
The railways has announced an ex gratia payment of Rs5 lakh each to the kin of every deceased. Besides, railways would pay Rs1 lakh to the grievously injured and Rs50,000 to those who suffered simple injuries.
Bihar government has also announced ex gratia payment of Rs4 lakh to the next of kin of each of the deceased and Rs50,000 to the injured.
ECR general manager L C Trivedi said the reason behind the accident would be ascertained only after the probe to be conducted by the commissioner of railway safety (CRS). “The CRS has been directed to do start the probe tomorrow. It will take 15 to 20 hours to restore traffic on this section as nearly 300 metres of the tracks have been badly damaged due to the derailment. We have to first remove the damaged coaches from the tracks. Then, the electric wires will be repaired to run the trains,” the GM told TOI from the accident site.
Meanwhile, Railway Board chairman Vinod Kumar Yadav, Board member (engineering) Vishwesh Choube and DG (RPF) Arun Kumar rushed to the accident site from Delhi by air to take stock of the situation. Yadav also visited the Sadar hospital to inquire into the conditions of the injured passengers.
The train starts from Jogbani. It had travelled around 350 kilometres and was running around 40 minutes behind the schedule when the accident took place. Most of the passengers were fast asleep that time.
The CPRO said 12 unaffected coaches of the ill-fated train with 1500 passengers were brought to Danapur from where they were sent to Anand Vihar Terminal by a special train. “Railways are providing all facilities to the affected passengers, including refund of tickets for those who did not wish to travel further,” he said.
“Railways, the district administration and six NDRF teams carried out the search and rescue operations. Several ambulances and medical teams were pressed into action for moving the injured passengers,” he said.
Surprisingly, antisocial elements pelted stones on the police, officials, rescue workers and others at the accident site in the afternoon without any provocation. One person sustained head injuries in the incident.
Tirhut divisional commissioner Narmadeshwar Lal said all facilities were provided to the railway officials in the rescue operations.
ECR also issued helpline numbers which were functional at Sonepur, Hajipur, Barauni and Patna.
Helpline numbers
Sonepur: 06158-221645
Hajipur: 06224-272230
Barauni: 06279-232222
Patna: 0612-2202290, 0612-2202291, 0612-2202292, 0612-2213234
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