Two passengers were killed and several others injured after over half-a-dozen coaches of 15904 Dibrugarh Express train, going from Chandigarh to Dibrugarh derailed and overturned.
The accident occurred between Motiganj and Jhinlahi railway stations ahead of Gonda station. The loco pilot reportedly heard a loud sound before the derailment.
“The loco pilot heard a loud bang before the derailment. It could be a sabotage and is a matter of inquiry which has been set up,” DRM NER, Lucknow division, Aditya Kumar said. He added that the committe set up would probe this angle.
The place of incident is said to be a little before Mankapur. The next station of the train was Gorakhpur. It is said that the incident happened around quarter to three in the afternoon. The train met with the accident just ten minutes after leaving Gonda.
Out of 10 to 12 coaches, the condition of the AC coach is very bad. The DRM and other officials left for the mishap site. Many trains have either been stopped mid-way or diverted.
Meanwhile, taking cognisance of the matter, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has instructed the officials to immediately reach the spot and expedite the relief work. He has issued instructions for proper treatment to the injured.
On the instructions of the CM, all the hospitals, CHCs, PHCs of the surrounding districts have been put on alert.
Yogi has also instructed the SDRF teams to reach the spot and expedite the relief work.
Reports said that 10-12 coaches of the train derailed and five of those overturned. One coach overturned after going quite far.
In such a situation, if passengers are trapped inside, the number of injured and dead may also increase. At present, local people are also reaching the spot and helping the district administration and railway team in relief and rescue work.
People are also being taken out by breaking the glass windows of the AC coach. All ambulances of the district have been called to the spot.
Meanwhile, the CM office tweeted that Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had been informed about the derailment of Dibrugarh-Chandigarh Express in Uttar Pradesh.
He is monitoring the situation and the Assam government is in touch with the officials concerned. At the same time, to expedite the relief and rescue work, four teams of SDRF from Lucknow, Balrampur, Shravasti and Siddharthnagar have been despatched to Gonda.
Gonda police as well as Railway Police Force are present at the spot and engaged in relief and rescue work.
According to the Uttar Pradesh Relief Commissioner, 27 passengers were injured in the accident. A 40-member medical team is present at the spot. Passengers with minor injuries are being treated at the spot. Those seriously injured are being sent to the district hospital.
It is said that the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express (15904) which met with the accident had LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch) coaches and that they did not climb over each other but overturned.
A spokesman said that due to the derailment of 15904 Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express on the down line between Motiganj-Jhilahi stations on the Barabanki-Gorakhpur railway section of Northeast Railway, the accident relief medical vehicle from Gonda had been sent to the accident site.
The helpline number for Gonda is 8957400965, while that for Lucknow - 8957409292, for Siwan - 9026624251, for Chhapra - 8303979217 and for Deoria Sadar - 8303098950.
The routes of some of the trains running on this section have been changed. The 15707 Katihar-Amritsar Express train has been diverted and is running via Mankapur-Ayodhya-Barabanki. The 15653 Guwahati-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Express has been diverted and is running via Mankapur-Ayodhya-Barabanki.
