PATNA: At least four passengers died and over 100 others were injured when eight coaches of Delhi-Kamakhya North East Superfast Express (No. 12506) derailed near Raghunathpur railway station in Bihar's Buxar district late on Wednesday.
33 people sustained serious injuries. A woman and her eight-year old daughter were among the four killed in the accident.
The derailment occurred at 9:53 pm and at least two AC III Tier coaches had toppled over while four other coaches jumped the tracks.
Buxar district magistrate Anshul Arya confirmed the death of four passengers and said that the injured have been rushed to a primary health centre at Raghunathpur.
The North East Express had departed Anand Vihar terminal in Delhi at 7.40 am on Wednesday for its nearly 33-hour journey to Kamakhya near Guwahati. The train had 23 coaches.
Chief public relations officer of East Central Railway Birendra Kumar said that the accident took place less than half an hour train left Buxar railway station in Bihar and was headed for Ara junction. The reason behind the accident is being ascertained, he added.
Jagdishpur SDPO Rajiv Chandra Singh said electric wires and poles, and rail tracks have been damaged due to the accident. He said that while some coaches lost balance and fell, none of them overturned due to which there are less casualties.
On Thursday morning, union minister and BJP MP from Buxar, Ashwini Kumar Choubey visited the accident site. Later, he told media persons, “It's a tragic incident. I informed the union railway minister, chief secretary of Bihar, DGP, DM of Buxar, and officers of NDRF and SDRF soon after the accident.”
He said that the rescue work started soon as local people and officials from the district administration reached the site early.
Meanwhile, Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, who is currently in Kerala, expressed his concern over the detailment of the train in Buxar.
He also spoke to officials engaged in rescue work and enquired about the accident.
Survivors recount ordeal
Three of the deceased have been identified as Usha Bhandari (33) and her daughter Akriti (8) and Abu Zahid (27). The identity of the fourth deceased is yet to be ascertained. Unofficial sources, however, put the death toll at five. However, Dipak Bandhari and his another daughter Aditi escaped. The Bhandaris were travelling to Kamakhya in Assam from Anand Vihar terminal in New Delhi.
The accident occurred around 9.53 pm when the train was about to reach Raghunathpur railway station in Buxar district of Bihar.
Most of the passengers were taking rest after having finished dinner in the running train. Some others were watching movie on their mobile phones.
Injured passenger Shakti Singh alias Sonu Singh said, "I was returning to my native village Sarathua under Udwantnagar block in Bhojpur district after meeting my relative in New Delhi. Suddenly, I felt some tremours in the coach and the train came to a screeching halt. People soon started crying for help."
Mohammad Afroz, another injured passenger, said that he was returning to Ara from Dildarnagar in Uttar Pradesh after meeting his daughter. He was travelling in the AC II tier coach when the train met with the accident.
Afroz, a resident of Rauza locality in Ara town, is currently undergoing treatment at Ara Sadar Hospital.
Television visuals showed locals rushing to the rescue of the passengers and helping them come out of at least two toppled coaches.
According to senior railway officials, 20 people with serious injuries have been referred to Patna for better medical treatment.
75 passengers were taken to Raghunathpur Primary Health Centre and Sadar Hospital at Ara for treatment.
Additional ambulances have been called from neighbouring Rohtas district to take the injured to hospital.
Indian Railways has cancelled ten trains and diverted 21.
The railways has already sent a team to inquire into the cause of derailment of coaches.
Emergency helpline numbers for passengers: