500 feared killed in train collision

Gaisal (North Bengal), Aug 2 (PTI)

In one of the worst railway accidents in the country, at least 500 people were feared killed and over 1000 injured when the Delhi-bound Brahmaputra Mail collided head-on with the Guwahati-bound Awadh-Assam Express here at 0155 hours today.

While Railway officials in Delhi confirmed 60 deaths and injury to 120 others, Border Sesurity Force (BSF) officials supervising rescue operations said here around 200 bodies had already been extricated from the mangled remains of the two trains by the rescue teams.

The dead included four drivers of the two trains. A PTI correspondent who visited the site saw about 200 bodies lined up on the platform. Rescue teams were continuing relief and rescue operations.

The injured have been shifted to hospitals in Kishanganj, Islampur, Raiganj and Siliguri.

Eye-witnesses said not less than 500 people were killed and over 1000 injured.

BSF DIG at Panjipara, I.M. Punata and BSF officiating commander Ghum Singh Rathode, overseeing the rescue operations, said that over 200 bodies were recovered by the BSF men, who rushed for rescue operations immediately after the accident from Panjipara, about six km from the site.

Though initial reports suggested that an explosion caused the accident, Railway officials after visiting the site said the two trains collided head-on.

At least 14 compartments beside the engines of both the trains bore the brunt of the collision and four compartments telescoped into each other.

The victims of Brahmaputra Mail were mostly Army, BSF and CRPF personnel.

The accident occurred near the west cabin of Gaisal railway station, about 80 km from Siliguri towards Calcutta.

Superintendent of railway police, New Jalpaiguri, said preliminary information suggested that it was a case of a bomb blast, but after seeing the actual position of the engine and compartments of the trains, it seemed to be a case of head-on collision due to signal failure.

Six compartments of the Awadh-Assam Express, including one first class and one airconditioned coach and eight bogies of Brahmaputra Mail, including a general coach, were the worst affected.

Seven coaches of Awadh-Assam Express were later moved to Kishanganj station.

Senior railway and civil officials including member engineering, railway board and directors general of RPF and safety, besides paramilitary forces from nearby areas have rushed to the site to monitor rescue and relief operations.

Railway Minister Nitish Kumar, who was away in Patna, is rushing back to Delhi and will immediately proceed to the site of the blast.

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