On Monday, a freight train collided with the rear of a stationary passenger train in India's West Bengal state, resulting in the death of at least 15 individuals and injuries to dozens, according to police. Railway authorities attributed the accident to driver error. Media coverage displayed a chaotic scene with containers scattered around and one carriage nearly standing upright. Abhishek Roy, a senior police official in Darjeeling district, confirmed that 15 bodies were recovered from the wreckage. Fifty-four people were injured, and rescue teams were deployed to clear the derailed carriages. The incident involved the Kanchanjunga Express, which was traveling to Kolkata from Tripura, with three of its carriages being derailed. The exact number of passengers at the time of the accident remains unclear. Rescuers utilized iron rods and ropes to extricate a carriage that had been lifted onto the roof of the freight train. The fatalities included the freight train's driver and a guard from the passenger train. Jaya Varma Sinha, the head of the railway board, explained that the freight train driver had ignored a signal. Rescue operations have concluded, and efforts are underway to resume traffic, with damage being less severe than initially anticipated. The guard's compartment was severely damaged, but two parcel vans ahead mitigated the impact on passengers. Local residents reported hearing a loud crash and witnessing the aftermath. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences, and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw headed to the site. This accident follows a previous incident in Odisha where 288 people perished due to a signal failure. Opposition parties criticized the government's handling of rail safety.
Text: Lara Palmer
17.06.2024
Driver Error Blamed for Accident Involving Stationary Passenger Train and Freight Train in India