NEW DELHI, Jan 14: The death toll in the train accident near New Domohani station in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district rose to nine on Friday, according to the Jalpaiguri district magistrate Maumita Godara Basu. Twelve coaches of the Bikaner – Guwahati Express had derailed just after the train passed New Domohani station in Moynaguri on Thursday evening.
The deceased include six males and three females. According to the authorities, 36 persons are being treated in three different State Health facilities in north Bengal.
Bikaner – Guwahati Express met with an accident at 17.00 hours on Thursday near New Domohani station under Alipurduar division of N.F. Railway. The site of the accident was about 42 kms away from New Jalpaiguri station and about 100 kms away from New Alipurduar station.
The railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw visited the site of the accident on Friday. The Minister suggested that preliminary investigation pointed out some technical issue with the locomotive.
“In some parts of the locomotive there seems to be a technical fault. We will have to dismantle it and examine it,” the Minister said. He also pointed out that an inquiry by the Commissioner of Railway Safety has been initiated into the accident.
A press statement by the North East Frontier Railway said “as per initial information, about 12 coaches got derailed of which 2 capsized.” There was about 1053 passengers onboard the train at the time of the derailment. Railway has announced ex-gratia payment of ₹5 lakhs towards dead, ₹1 lakh to grievously injured and ₹25 thousand for passengers with simple injury. By Friday morning the passengers were removed from the accident site and efforts are being made to clear the tracks.
(Manas Dasgupta)
