kanchanjunga express accident

 

LIVE updates on the Kanchanjungha Express train accident: 15 people have died so far; Mamata and Vaishnaw will evaluate the relief efforts.

At least 15 passengers died and 60 others were injured after three rear coaches of the stationary Sealdah-bound Kanchanjunga Express derailed on June 17 morning as a goods train collided with it in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will visit the train accident site in New Jalpaiguri to take stock of relief operations. The three rear compartments derailed under the impact of the collision from behind by the locomotive of the goods train near Rangapani station, about 30 kilometres from North Bengal’s New Jalpaiguri station. The toll could rise, as multiple agencies of the State and Centre were simultaneously working on a war footing along with locals to rescue passengers who could still be trapped inside. The deceased include the pilot and co-pilot of the goods train, a senior railway official said.

• JUNE17,202413:47

  Congress accuses Modi Government of ‘utter mismanagement’

  Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged in the past 10 years, the Modi Government has indulged in the utter mismanagement of the Railway Ministry. “As a responsible Opposition, it is our bounden duty to underline how the Modi Govt has systematically converted the Rail Ministry into a platform of ‘Camera-driven’ self-promotion!” he posted on X.

• JUNE17,202413:37

  Long-distance train services from Northeast hit

  Long-distance train services from north Bengal and the northeastern part of the country were affected due to the accident. State Government officials said additional bus services were being introduced from the region on an emergency basis to transport the affected commuters.

  PTI

• JUNE17,202413:36

  Death toll likely to rise

  The toll could rise, as multiple agencies of West Bengal and Centre were simultaneously working on war footing along with locals to rescue passengers who could still be trapped inside. The deceased include the pilot and co-pilot of the goods train, a senior railway official said. The injured are being taken to the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, police said.

  According to preliminary information received from rail officials, the passenger train was stationary on the tracks when the goods train rammed into it from behind.

  While two rear compartments of the Kanchanjunga Express were immediately thrown off the tracks under the severe impact, another bogie was seen precariously hanging mid-air with the engine of the goods train tucked underneath. Inclement weather in the region posed an additional challenge to the rescue operations, the officials said.

  The accident triggered haunting memories of the Coromandel Express disaster near Bahanaga Bazar in Odisha a year ago, which killed nearly 300 people and injured over a 1,000 others.

  PTI

• JUNE17,202413:27

  Mamata Banerjee to visit train accident site

  West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee will visit the train accident site in New Jalpaiguri to take stock of relief operations, officials told news agency PTI.

• JUNE17,202413:26

  Railway Minister announces ₹10 lakh ex-gratia for victims

• JUNE17,202413:07

  Home Minister, Vice President condole loss of lives

  Union Home Minister took to his social media platform X to express his condolences to family members of the deceased. “The railway accident in New Jalpaiguri, West Bengal is very sad. I express my condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in this unfortunate accident and wish for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Amit Shah wrote on X in Hindi.

  Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar also extended condolences to the bereaved families of the accident victims.

• JUNE17,202412:37

  Passenger claims relief and rescue operations were delayed

  A passenger from Agartala, who was in coach number S6 of the Kanchanjungha Express, said he felt a sudden jerk and the compartment screeched to a halt.

  He also claimed that the relief and rescue operations were delayed.

  “My wife, child and I somehow managed to come out of the mangled coach. We are currently stranded... The rescue operations also started quite late,” the passenger told a television channel.

  PTI

• JUNE17,202412:32

  Death toll rises to 15, 60 injured, says official

  Death toll in West Bengal train accident rose to 15 and 60 people have been injured, news agency PTI reported quoting officials.

• JUNE17,202412:15

  PM Modi announces ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh for next of kin of deceased

  Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from PMNRF to be given to the next of kin of each deceased in the railway mishap in West Bengal. The injured would be given ₹50,000. 

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• JUNE17,202412:12

  Tripura monitoring situation, says CM Manik Saha

• JUNE17,202412:11

  Railway Minister to take stock of relief operations

  Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw left for West Bengal to take stock of relief operations after a goods train collided with the Kanchanjunga Express near New Jalpaiguri.

  PTI

• JUNE17,202411:55

  Goods train overshot signal and hit rear portion of Kanchanjungha train

  The Eastern Railway said the goods train overshot the signal and hit the rear portion of the Kanchanjungha train, which has two parcel vans and a guard coach in rear. No confirmation was, however, received on whether there were problems with the signaling system or explanations given on how the two trains could come so close to each other on a single track. NDRF, Divisional team and 15 Ambulance reached the site. Ministers are also in War room, it said. 

  - Shiv Sahay Singh

• JUNE17,202411:52

  Visuals from the Kanchanjungha Express accident

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• JUNE 17, 2024 11:49

  Deeply distressing: President Murmu on loss of lives