In yet another tragic train incident, at least three people were killed and thirty others were injured on the afternoon of Thursday, July 18 after eight coaches of the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express derailed near the Uttar Pradesh Gonda railway station. The train had left from the Chandigarh station at around 11:15 PM on Wednesday, July 17.
One Of The Loco Pilots Heard Explosion
The accident happened between the Motiganj and Jhilaahi railway stations in the Gonda district of Uttar Pradesh at around 2:35 PM on Thursday afternoon while it was on its way towards Dibrugarh. Reportedly, both the loco pilots of the train were safe, while one of the loco pilots said that they heard the sound of a loud explosion right before the derailment happened. However, DGP Prashant Kumar claimed no such explosion occurred before the train accident.
Two Out Of Three Deceased Identified
Following the accident, the Railway officials reported that a high-level inquiry had been arranged and ordered on the site immediately, along with the medical and emergency teams. It is still unclear as to what led to the derailment, with not enough reasons to account for the accident. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak confirmed that at least three people lost their lives in the accident. The three fallen passengers were identified as Saroj Kumar Singh (31 years), a resident of Araria in Bihar, and Rahul (38 years), a resident of Chandigarh. The third deceased male is yet to be identified.
Adityanath Takes Stock Of The Accident
All those injured were rushed to the community health centers and the district hospital nearby. It has been reported that at least six individuals from the accident are in serious condition, including a woman passenger. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognizance of the incident and declared immediate rescue and relief operations to be reported at the site. The state government also announced an ex gratio of rs. 10 lakh for the families of those who lost their lives on the train.
No Casualties Reported From Assam
The train had left from Assam a day prior to the accident, Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma also expressed grief over the accident and confirmed that no casualties were reported from Assam. In the meantime, a Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) bulletin has arranged a special train to bring back and secure all those stranded at the Dibrugarh station. The restoration of the railway track and repair work is underway following the derailment.
#WATCH | Gonda Train Derailment | A passenger travelling in the Dibrugarh-Chandigarh Express claims, "I had to go to Hajipur… There was a mild explosion (before the incident) and after that a strong jolt was felt and our coach derailed. We were coming from Chandigarh…" pic.twitter.com/ytD0UhSfWB
— ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2024