Kanpur: At least 142 people were killed and over 200 were injured when Patna bound 19321 Patna-Indore express train derailed near the Pukhraya station in Kanpur Dehat district today. Additional Director general of police (law and order) Daljeet Choudhury, who has reached to the spot, told the media that as per the official reports death toll has risen to 95 and over 200 injured passengers have been admitted to different hospitals in Kanpur. However, some officials and even the eyewitness says that the death toll could even cross 100 mark as several bodies are still lying inside the bogies while condition of several injured are critical. Meanwhile, UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 5 lakhs to the families of the deceased, Rs 50,000 for the critical injured and Rs 25,000 for the minor injured.
Similarly, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, who had earlier ordered a high level probe into the accident, has announced Rs 3.5 lakh compensation for the deceased families and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Two NDRF teams from Varanasi and one team from Lucknow have rushed to the accident spot to assist in rescue operations. Meanwhile, UP DGP Javeed Ahmed told UNI in Lucknow that almost all the injured have been shifted to the hospitals while dead bodies moved to mortuaries. He said facilities are being provided to the stranded passengers of the ill-fated train to travel to Kanpur by buses to catch their onward journey from Kanpur station. Mr Ahmed also confirmed that the death toll could further increase as the rescue team were fighting to bring out passengers from two coaches. The rescue team had to use cutters and other equipments to bring out the passengers from the overturned bogies.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted,"Anguished beyond words on the loss of lives due to the derailing of the Patna-Indore express. My thoughts are with the bereaved families." The Prime Minister has also directed the Railway Minister to personally monitor the situation closely. Mr Prabhu in his tweets said, “All rescue relief work on to deal with an unfortunate accident. All medical and other help rushed. Enquiry ordered. Situation monitored closely”. According to the sources of the North-Central railway, Jhansi Division, under whose jurisdiction the accident occurred, 14 coaches of Indore- Rajendra Nagar Express, which derailed are seating-cum-luggage rake, GS, GS, A1, B1, B2, B3, BE, S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6.
The derailment occurred at around 0310 hrs when the train was going towards Kanpur station. Some passengers of S1, who escaped the accident with minor injuries, said that they had heard some noise coming from the wheels of their coach after it departed from Jhansi. They said the train was stopped twice to rectify the fault but they could not do so and the train continued its journey and later the mishap occurred. Of the 14 coaches derailed, four were tumbled on each other including two air condition coaches. Most of the casualties were from these four coaches which included S1, S2, BE and B3.
According to Railway official, relief and rescue operations were underway and senior officials and medical teams from Kanpur, Allahabad and Jhansi have been rushed to the spot. Besides, the Railways were in contact with district officials. The Railways had also issued helpline numbers -- Jhansi-05101072, Orai-051621072, Kanpur-05121072 and Pokhrayan-05113-270239. Meanwhile, several long distance express and passenger trains between Jhansi and Kanpur has been diverted or cancelled due to the accident. (UNI)