Bihar train derailment | Fault in tracks likely cause for derailment: Preliminary probe

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar pledged the state government’s support to all the victims of the train accident that occurred following the derailment of 21 coaches of the North East Express train in Buxar last night. An ex-gratia of ₹4 lakh to be provided to the families of individuals who lost their lives in the accident. - ANI

Fault in tracks was the possible cause of the derailment of all the coaches of the Delhi-Kamakhya North East Express in Bihar, sources said citing a preliminary investigation report. Highlighting the condition of passenger coaches, the report stated that all 22 coaches and the engine derailed -- two of them were fully capsized and two others turned turtle. - PTI

The probe report has estimated the cost of damage due to the accident at more than ₹52 crore.

The special train that departed from Bihar’s Buxar for Guwahati with 1,006 affected passengers of the North-East Express train after the derailment incident, will have halts at intermediate stations for the convenience of the passengers, officials said.

Ten patients who sustained injuries in the Raghunathpur (Bihar) train accident were admitted to Patna’s AIIMS hospital in the night while two more were admitted to the hospital on October 12 morning, said Executive Director of AIIMS Patna, Gopal Krishna Pal in a press release. Four of the 10 injured admitted at night had suffered serious injuries, including a femur fracture of one patient, a clavicle fracture of another patient, a condylar bone fracture of one patient and a cervical (neck) fracture of another patient, said the official statement. The other six patients had minor soft tissue injuries.The official release further informed that all the patients were given immediate treatment and all of them are currently out of danger. -- ANI

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on October 12 said that he has given instructions to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Patna that quick and best treatment be given to the injured in the train accident in Buxar.

“Instructions have been given to AIIMS, Patna for quick and best treatment of the passengers injured in the train accident in Buxar, Bihar. I am told that the seriously injured passenger is in AIIMS and is in stable condition. The central government is committed to providing all types of health facilities,” Mr. Mandaviya posted on X. Northeast Frontier Railway CPRO Sabyasachi De said that four persons died and several others were injured following the derailment of Kamakhya-bound North East Express in Bihar’s Buxar district on Wednesday night.

“Rescue mission was completed at around 2 am today morning. There are no passengers on the site, everybody has been rescued. They started their destination at around 5 am this morning from Danapur and the train is expected to reach Kamakhya Railway Station at around 11 pm tonight. At the site, the line is being cleared. Around 1000 passengers have started their journey from Danapur and out of which 50-60 percent are from Assam,” Sabyasachi De said. -- ANI

Fault in tracks was the possible cause of derailment of the Delhi-Kamakhya North East Express in Bihar in which four people were killed and several injured, sources said on October 12 citing a preliminary investigation report.

The report, signed by six railway officials including the driver of the ill-fated train, stated, “It seems that derailment occurred due to fault in tracks.” It estimated the cost of damage due to the accident at more than ₹52 crore.

The loco pilot was partially injured and his assistant suffered serious injuries in the accident Wednesday night.

The report also contained a statement by the loco pilot who said that the train passed Raghunathpur station, near which the accident occurred, at a speed of 128 km per hour, but soon after it crossed the station section it suffered a severe jolt at the rear end with excessive vibration.

As a result of the excessive vibration and the severe jolt, the brake pipe pressure dropped suddenly and the train derailed at 9:52 pm, the preliminary report quoted the loco pilot as saying.

It also quoted a gateman and a pointsman at the Raghunathpur station as saying that they saw sparks coming from near the wheels of the train.

The report stated a breath analyser test of the loco pilot and his assistant was negative. -- PTI

JP Nadda took to X and said “The news of the train accident that took place late at night in Buxar, Bihar is extremely sad. At night, I took information about the relief work from Bihar BJP President Samrat Chaudhary and BJP MP from Buxar and Union Minister Ashwani Choubey. Railway administration is rapidly engaged in relief work. I express my deep condolences to the bereaved family. I pray to God for peace of all the departed souls and speedy recovery of the injured.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday condoled those who lost their lives in the October 11 train derailment incident in Bihar’s Buxar district. “Pained by the loss of lives due to the derailment of a few coaches of the North East Express. Condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for a quick recovery of the injured. Authorities are providing all possible assistance to all those affected,” the Prime Minister’s office quoted Narendra Modi as saying. -- ANI

The Meghalaya government has set up a helpline for the people of the state who were travelling in the North East Express that derailed in Bihar’s Buxar district, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said.

Mr. Sangma said he has also spoken to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw about the situation.

Officers of the Meghalaya government are also in touch with the railway authorities to ensure that people of the state who were travelling in that train, which was coming to Assam from Delhi, are provided assistance, he said.

PTI

Minister of State Nityanand Rai said that as soon as the Home Ministry received the news of the train derailment at Bihar’s Buxar, three teams of National Disaster Response Force were rushed to the spot. “Three teams of NDRF were rushed to at the spot last night once we received information of the incident. The NDRF teams launched the relief and rescue operation along with the local administration,” Nityanand Rai said speaking to ANI on October 12.

Tarun Prakash, General Manager of East Central Railway (ECR) said that the cause of the derailment is yet to be ascertained as investigation is underway by the railway. He stressed that it’s too early to say anything on reason behind derailment when asked about crack in the track could be the possible reasons. He also said that the railway has its own way of investigating such cases.

A total of 1,006 people were travelling in the relief train to reach their destinations after the North East Express derailed in Bihar’s Buxar district, a senior railway official said on October 12.

Around 1,500 passengers were in the North East Express when it started its 33-hour-long journey from Delhi’s Anand Vihar station for Khamakhya in Assam’s Guwahati on Wednesday morning, he said.

After the accident on Wednesday night, a total of 1,006 passengers boarded a relief train at Danapur to reach their destinations in Bihar, West Bengal and Assam, he added.

He said that the NFR has started helplines in different stations — Guwahati (03612731621/22/23), Kamakhya (03612674857), Katihar (9608815880), and New Jalpaiguri (8170034242).

The Kamrup Metropolitan district administration, which administers Guwahati, has also set up an emergency helpline (9365429314), and asked people to contact for assistance. -- PTI

Bihar BJP State president Samrat Choudhary reached the spot where the train was derailed in Buxar. Mr. Choudhary said that rescue and restoration work is being carried out by the Central Government including the treatment of the injured passengers. He also said that Bihar CM Nitish Kumar reaction came after 12 hours and now doing politics over the train tragedy. -- Amit Bhelari

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on October 12 condoled the loss of lives in the train derailment in Bihar’s Buxar, and said the Centre needs to be alert to prevent such accidents. At least four passengers died and several others were injured when six coaches of the Anand Vihar-Kamakhya North East Express derailed near the Raghunathpur station in Buxar district on Wednesday night.

“The train accident in Buxar, Bihar is extremely sad. My condolences to all the families who lost their loved ones in this accident. I pray to God that all the injured get well soon and return to their families,” he said.

“The Centre will have to be alert to prevent such train accidents. It is worrying that such major accidents happen again and again,” he said in a post on X.

The Meghalaya government has set up a helpline for the people of the State who were travelling in the North East Express that derailed in Bihar’s Buxar district, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said on October 12.

Mr. Sangma said he has also spoken to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw about the situation.

Officers of the Meghalaya government are also in touch with the railway authorities to ensure that people of the state who were travelling in that train, which was coming to Assam from Delhi, are provided assistance, he said.

No person from Meghalaya has been reported injured so far in the accident, officials said.

In case any person needs assistance, the State authorities can be reached at 1800 345 3644, they said. -- PTI

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announces ₹4 lakh each as an ex-gratia to the family members of the deceased and ₹50,000 each to the injured people. Mr. Kumar said that he was the Railway Minister at the time of Atal Bihari Vajpayee government and did a lot of work towards passenger safety due to which the number of such cases had gone down, now the present government at the centre must work on this front. -- Amit Bhelari

Coaches can be seen strewn on both sides of the track, a few of these several feet away, in Raghunathpur, a non-descript town in Buxar district of Bihar where the North East Express derailed.

Four AC compartments, all of which have jumped the rails but remained coupled, form a scary serpentine pattern with shattered window panes serving as a telltale sign.

The guard of the Kamakhya-bound train, Vijay Kumar, recalls having fallen unconscious by the impact of the derailment.

“I was busy with my paperwork when I realised that the driver suddenly applied brakes. This was followed by a few jerks and I fainted. Later, I found myself in the adjoining fields, where villagers were sprinkling drops of water on my face,” said Mr. Kumar, who has sustained minor injuries.

With the rescue of passengers complete, the focus is now on restoration.

The railways on October 12 ordered a high-level inquiry into the derailment of the Delhi-Kamakhya North East Express in Bihar’s Buxar district, in which four persons were killed and several people injured, officials said.

Twenty-three coaches of the train, on the way to Assam from Delhi, derailed near the Raghunathpur station around 9.53 pm on Wednesday, they said.

“A high-level inquiry has been ordered to investigate the reason behind the incident,” East Central Railway’s chief public relations officer Birendra Kumar said in a statement. -- PTI

Indian Railways cancelled 10 trains and diverted 21 after several coaches of 12506 Delhi-Kamakhya North East Express derailed near the Raghunathpur station in Bihar’s Buxar district on October 11 killing at least four people and injuring many others.

Buxar Superintendent of Police Manish Kumar told PTI four passengers had died in the accident. A Railway Police Force official the injured had been shifted to local hospitals.

Those with serious injuries were rushed to AIIMS, Patna.

According to a statement issued by the East Central Railway zone, trains that have been cancelled include: Patna-Puri Special (03230), Sasaram-Ara Special (03620), Bhabua Road Express Special (03617), Patna--DDU Memu Pass Spl (03203), Patna-Buxar Memu Pass Special (03375). Besides, two trains have been partially cancelled and they include: Patna-DDU Express (13209) which will run upto Ara and DDU-Patna Express (13210), which will also run upto Ara.

Trains that have been diverted onto alternate routes include: Raxaul Antyodaya Express (15548), Dibrugarh Express (15945), Magadh Express (20802), Barauni Express (19483), Asansol SF Express (12362), Guwahati Poorvottar Sampark Kranti Express (22450), Brahmaputra Mail (15657) among others.

The railways has also issued emergency helpline numbers for passengers. These are 9771449971 (Patna), 8905697493 (Danapur), 8306182542 (Ara), 8306182542 and 7759070004. Other helpline numbers for passengers are: New Delhi (01123341074, 9717631960), Anand Vihar Terminal (9717632791), Commercial Control Delhi Division ( 9717633779), Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction (9794849461, 8081206628), Commercial Control of Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction (8081212134), Pryagraj (0532-2408128, 0532-2407353, 0532-2408149) and Fatehpur (05180-222026, 05180-222025. — PTI

Expressing his condolences to the families of the deceased in the train mishap in Bihar, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on October 12 said his government is closely monitoring the situation.

At least four passengers died and several others were injured when six coaches of the Anand Vihar-Kamakhya North East Express derailed near the Raghunathpur station in Buxar district on Wednesday night.

“My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. Praying for the quick recovery of those injured,” Sarma said in a post on X.

In a separate post, he said that the state government is closely monitoring the situation and has established contact with local authorities as well as other agencies.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday condoled the loss of lives in the train accident in Bihar’s Buxar and demanded that accountability of the Railway Ministry and the Central government be fixed. He also urged Congress workers to provide all help to the families of the victims and those injured in the accident.

“This is the second major derailment accident after the Balasore train accident of June 2023. Accountability of the Railway Ministry and the Central Government should be fixed,” he said in a post in Hindi on X.

The Congress chief said the news of derailment of North East Express is very painful.

“Many people have lost their lives and more than 100 people have been injured in this horrific accident. We express our deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” he said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also condoled the loss of lives in the derailment.

“I express my deep condolences to the bereaved families and hope the injured an early speedy recovery. Congress workers are urged to fully cooperate with the authorities in the relief work,” he said in a post on Facebook Congress general secretary K C Venugopal said he is disturbed by the news of a tragic rail accident in Buxar.

“I urge all INC workers to assist the authorities in the relief efforts. My sincere condolences to the families of the victims of this tragedy and I wish the wounded passengers a speedy recovery,” he said in a post on X.

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, “Recurring train accidents and resultant death toll is yet another area of BJP govt’s glaring failure. High flying promises lie shattered”. -- PTI

Leader of Opposition in Bihar legislative assembly Vijay Kumar Sinha on way to Patna AIIMS to meet the injured passengers.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Kumar expressed deep grief over the train derailment incident. He instructed the officials concerned to take all measures to ensure treatment to the injured passengers.

BJP President J.P.Nadda spoke to Bihar BJP State President Samrat Choudhary over phone and took the detailed report about the train derailment and directed the BJP workers to immediately cooperate for relief and rescue work at the accident site.

Railway announces ₹10 lakh each as an ex-gratia to the family members of the deceased and ₹ 50,000 each to the injured people.