What happened?
A tragic train accident occurred on Wednesday night in Bihar, as the Delhi-Kamakhya North East Express derailed near the Raghunathpur station in Buxar district, killing at least four passengers and injuring 70 others. The superfast train was en route from Anand Vihar Terminal in Delhi to Kamakhya Junction in Assam when six of its coaches came off the rails at around 9:35 pm.
The cause of the derailment is not yet known, but some reports suggest that it could be due to a track fracture or a signal failure. The railway authorities have ordered an inquiry into the incident and announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased, Rs 1 lakh for the seriously injured, and Rs 50,000 for those with minor injuries.
How did the rescue operation go?
The rescue operation was launched immediately after the accident, with teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Railway Protection Force (RPF), and the local police reaching the spot. The injured passengers were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment, while the unaffected passengers were shifted to other trains or buses to continue their journey.
Union Minister and Buxar MP Ashwini Kumar Choubey also visited the site of the accident and expressed his condolences to the bereaved families. He said that he had spoken to the Director General of NDRF, the Chief Secretary of Bihar, the District Magistrate of Buxar, and the General Manager of East Central Railway, and appealed to his workers to engage in rescue operations. He also said that medical teams had been sent to provide assistance to the victims.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw also tweeted about the incident and said that he was deeply saddened by the loss of lives. He said that he would find out the root cause of the derailment and take necessary action. He also thanked the NDRF, RPF, and local administration for their swift response.
What is the impact of the accident?
The accident has disrupted rail traffic on the busy Delhi-Howrah route, as several trains have been cancelled or diverted due to the derailment. The railway officials have issued helpline numbers for passengers and relatives to get information about the status of their trains and their loved ones.
The accident has also raised questions about the safety and maintenance of railway tracks and signals in India, where train accidents occur frequently due to human error, technical glitches, or sabotage. According to a report by NITI Aayog, India’s railway network witnessed 586 accidents between 2015 and 2020, resulting in 650 deaths and 2,400 injuries.
The accident has also reminded people of the Bihar train disaster of 1981, when a passenger train derailed on a bridge and plunged into the Baghmati River in Bihar, killing hundreds of people. It was one of the worst train accidents in India’s history.