wo persons were killed and 20 others injured after at least 18 coaches of the Howrah-Mumbai Mail derailed in Jharkhand’s Seraikela-Kharsawan district early on Tuesday. The accident occurred at 3:45 am near Barabamboo, around 80 km from Jamshedpur, under the Chakradharpur Division of South Eastern Railway (SER).
The railways have announced an enquiry into the train accident, another SER official said. “Two persons were killed and 20 injured as 18 coaches of the Howrah-Mumbai Mail derailed near Barabamboo,” said West Singhbhum Deputy Commissioner Kuldeep Chaudhary. He added that the “Howrah-Mumbai train hit the stationary goods train”. Of these, 16 were passenger coaches, one power car and one pantry car, he added.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren directed officials to expedite relief operations and help the injured people.
The railways announced `10 lakh ex gratia for kin of each deceased, `5 lakh for those with major injuries, `1 lakh for those with minor injuries. According to the railway CPRO, rescue and relief operations have been completed.
The passengers were sent to their destination by a special train from Chakradharpur at 12.15 pm, an official said.
The SER cancelled a few express and passenger trains owing to the accident. These are the 22861 Howrah-Titlagarh-Kantabanji Express, 08015/18019 Kharagpur-Jhargram-Dhanbad Express, 12021/12022 Howrah-Barbil-Howrah Jan Shatabdi Express, 18109 Tatanagar-Itwari Express and 18030 Shalimar-LTT Express.
Congress took a swipe at Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw after the train derailment in Jharkhand, saying since June the “Fail Minister” has “overseen three accidents” that have cumulatively cost 17 lives but there is “no accountability” in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new India.
