Buxar: More than 12 coaches of the Delhi-Kamakhya North East Express derailed near Raghunathpur station in Bihar’s Buxar district on Wednesday night, claiming the lives of 4 and injuring 100 people. 12 bogies were derailed.
The 23-coach 125066 North East Express had departed the Anand Vihar Terminal in Delhi at 7:40 AM on Wednesday for its nearlu 33-hour jpurney to Kamakhya, about 6 kilometers away from Guwahati. “The train was coming at a normal speed but suddenly heard a loud sound and plume of smoke rose out of the train. We rushed to see what happened. We saw that the train had derailed and the AC coaches were the most damaged”, said a local resident named Hari Pathak.
Minister of Railways, Communications, Electronics, & Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw informed that the train to ferry passengers for onward journey shall reach the destination and the department is now focusing on restoration. He also confirmed the completion of the evacuation and rescue process while offering his deepest condolences for irreparable loss in a series of tweets.
Bihar’s Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar has announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 4 lakhs each to families of deceased, informed Bihar Chief Minister Office in an official statement.
Injured have been taken to AIIMS, Patna. Helpline numbers are: Patna 9771449971, Danapur: 8905697493, Commercial control: 7759070004, Ara: 8306182542, New Delhi: 01123341074, 9717631960.