Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his anguish over the incident in which 13 children were killed and eight others injured when a train rammed into their school van at an unmanned railway crossing in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar district. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has ordered an inquiry into the train-school van accident and announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the kin of the deceased.
Modi said he was “deeply pained” over the incident and added the Uttar Pradesh government and the Railways would take necessary action.
The Prime Minister expressed his feelings while interacting with the BJP leaders, including the party's candidates, elected members and office-bearers in poll-bound Karnataka, through his mobile application.
“As I was coming to you, I got the sad news from Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar about the train ramming into a school bus in which children were travelling (and that) many children have been killed. It's a very sad news that I got as I came here,” he said.
“The Uttar Pradesh government will take necessary action, the Railway department will take necessary action,” the Prime Minister added.
Goyal has ordered an inquiry into the train-school van accident and announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the kin of the deceased. The Minister also said that the Railways will provide an ex gratia amount of Rs 1 lakh for those with serious injuries and Rs 50,000 for those simple injuries.
“My thoughts are with families of the deceased and I pray for the early recovery of the injured. Ministry of Railways will provide an ex gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh for kin of the deceased, Rs 1 lakh for those with serious injuries and Rs 50,000 for those with simple injuries,” the railway minister said in the statement.