The driver of the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express heard a loud explosion before multiple coaches derailed in Uttar Pradesh's Gonda Thursday evening. One death have been reported so far.
Multiple injuries have also been reported. Medical and emergency teams are on-site.
Visuals from the site showed passengers standing around helplessly. "I had a close shave, glad to be safe. Don't worry I am fine," a passenger who survived said. Videos from the site showed people taking their luggage from derailed coaches. One coach had flipped, on which some passengers were standing.
21 of the train's 23 coaches derailed, including five AC coaches and one general compartment, as well as the pantry.
VIDEO | "Narrow Escape," Says Passenger Standing Beside 4 Derailed Coaches
The incident happened a few kilometres before the railway station at Jhulahi.
A high-level inquiry has been ordered and compensation - Rs 10 lakh to the families of those who died, Rs 2.5 lakh to those with serious injuries, and Rs 50,000 for those with minor injuries - is to be given.
Other trains on this route have been cancelled or diverted, including the Katihar-Amritsar Express and Guwahati-Shrimata Vaishnodevi Katra Express, Pankaj Singh, the Chief Public Relation Officer of North Eastern Railways, said.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Uttar Pradesh counterpart, Yogi Adityanath, have been briefed. "Himanta Biswa has been briefed... and Government of Assam is in touch with relevant authorities," the Assam Chief Minister's office said. Meanwhile, Yogi Adityanath's office said officials at the site had been told to take the injured to hospitals and provide them with proper treatment.
North Eastern Railways has issued helpline numbers:
- Commercial Control: 9957555984
- Furkating (FKG): 9957555966
- Mariani (MXN): 6001882410
- Simalguri (SLGR): 8789543798
- Tinsukia (NTSK): 9957555959
- Dibrugarh (DBRG): 9957555960
Helplines have also been set up in Lucknow (8957409292) and Gonda (8957400965).
The issue has also taken a political twist with the Congress calling on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to take responsibility for this and recent accidents and resign.
"PM and his Railway Minister, who leaves no opportunity for self-publicity, must take direct responsibility of the massive lapses that have plagued the Indian Railways," Congress boss Mallikarjun Kharge said.
"Our deepest condolences to families of the bereaved, and prayers for injured. A month ago, 11 people lost their lives when a goods train collided with the Sealdah-Agartala Kanchanjunga Express," he said.
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