Two feared dead after goods train hits Kanchanjunga Express in Darjeeling
Two feared dead in Darjeeling train mishap while several injured rushed to hospitals
By Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi, June 17: Two passengers are feared to have died after a goods train hit stationary the Kolkata bound Kanchanjunga-Sealdah train on Monday. The goods train reportedly overshot the signal.
Last year’s deadly train mishap in Odisha was also explained to one train overshooting the signal. Almost a year ahead, on June 2, 2023, three trains’ mishap in Odisha had left 290 passengers dead.
Three bogies of the stationary Kanchanjunga-Sealdah Express train were smashed and flung in air after the goods train hit from behind at about 8.32 AM.
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“Container train overshot signal and hit rear portion of Kanchanjunga train,” said a senior official of the Ministry of Railways. The ill-fated Kanchanjunga train had two parcel vans and guard coach in the rear par.
The casualty was possibly minimised because of the placement of the parcel vans in the rear parts of the ill-fated trains, added the railways official.
“(There is) probability of two death (in the mishap),” said an official of the Ministry of Railways.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed shock at the train mishap. “Shocked to learn, just now, about a tragic train accident, in Phansidewa area of Darjeeling district. While details are awaited, Kanchenjunga Express has reportedly been hit by a goods train,” said Banerjee in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
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She stated that the “DM, SP, doctors, ambulances and disaster teams have been rushed to the site for rescue, recovery, medical assistance. Action on war-footing initiated.”
More than two hours after the mishap, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw posted a message on X to mention the incident. “Unfortunate accident in NFR zone. Rescue operations going on at war footing. Railways, NDRF and SDRF are working in close coordination. Injured are being shifted to the hospital. Senior officials have reached site,” said Vaishnaw.
With the goods train being said to have hit the stationary train from behind after overshooting the signal, there appears no learnt from the triple train mishap of Odisha where the same reason was given by the Railways.
The Railways continue to reel under spate of mishaps with trains derailing and incidents of hit by other trains. Officials who served the Ministry of Railways in the past blame the Railway Board not improving the strength of the loco pilot and infrastructure to the spate of mishaps.
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