A locomotive on the goods train hit the Kanchanjunga Express from the rear. The collision took place around 9 am, according to Northern Railway officials.
The officials do not expect a high number of casualties since two of the three compartments of the Kanchanjunga Express had goods stored in them.
The railway accident in West Bengal is saddening. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. Spoke to officials and took stock of the situation. Rescue operations are underway to assist the affected. The Railways Minister Shri…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 17, 2024
A video of the incident has surfaced on social media, showing passengers in a state of panic and fear as they scramble to safety, with the two trains visible in the background. Another photo showed locals gathered around the accident site.
The 13174 Kanchanjunga Express was travelling from Tripura’s Agartala when the incident took place near Rangapani, close to New Jalpaiguri station, officials said.
VIDEO | Visuals from Kanchanjungha Express and Goods Train collision spot near West Bengal’s New Jalpaiguri.(Source: Third Party) pic.twitter.com/mLCp9XCO3t
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 17, 2024
The goods train was on its way to Kolkata from Agartala. Images showed its wagon toppled around the tracks while a compartment of the Kanchanjunga Express was suspended in mid-air following the collision.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu also condoled the loss of lives in the incident. Modi said he has spoken to the officials and that Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is headed to West Bengal to take a stock of the situation.
The Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) has announced a compensation of Rs 200,000 for next of kin of each deceased persons and Rs 50,000 for the injured, the PMO said.
Earlier, Vaishnaw said that the injured persons were shifted to the hospital while a rescue operation is underway. “Unfortunate accident in North Frontier Railway zone… Railways, NDRF, and SDRF are working in close coordination. Senior officials have reached the site,” he said in a post on ‘X’.
First Published: Jun 17 2024 | 11:11 AM IST
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