A derailed bogie of the New Delhi-Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express near Chapra in Bihar
Four people have been killed after the New Delhi-Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express derailed near Bihar's Chapra town in the early hours today. Eight people have also been seriously injured.
The incident occurred around 2:15 am when five coaches - B-1, B-2, B-3, B-4 and pantry car - overturned in the derailment while seven other coaches - B-5 to B-10 and the power
car - got derailed at the station, about 75 kms from Patna, according to Railway spokesperson Anil Saxena.
While the exact reason of the derailment is yet to ascertained, railway authorities and the Bihar police have differed over sabotage as a possible cause.
"Reasons are said to have been sabotage and there was a bandh called by Maoists... that is why it occurred is what I have understood but the exact reasons aren't known," Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda said.
"Sabotage is not the cause behind the accident," said Vinod Kumar, Deputy Inspector General, Saran.
Expressing grief over the loss of lives in the mishap, Mr Gowda has announced a compensation of Rs two lakh for those killed, one lakh for the grievously injured and Rs 20,000 for those who sustained minor injuries.
The minister also directed the Railway administration to provide the best possible treatment to the injured passengers.
Senior officials of the East Central Railway and a medical team, meanwhile, are supervising relief and rescue operations at the site.
A relief train has been arranged to move the other passengers to the next station from where they will taken to their destination.