Tragedy Strikes as Delhi-Kamakhya Northeast Express Derails in Bihar
Tragedy struck late on a Wednesday night as the Delhi-Kamakhya Northeast Express derailed near Raghunathpur station in Bihar’s Buxar district. The accident resulted in at least four passengers losing their lives and 30 others sustaining injuries. This unfortunate incident caused the diversion of 92 trains and the cancellation of eight more, disrupting the railway network.
The derailment of the Delhi-Kamakhya Northeast Express led to substantial damage, with pillars, electrical poles, signal posts, and both tracks affected at the accident site. The ripple effect extended to the New Delhi-Howrah main line, where other trains were delayed due to the necessary halts at different locations.
Officials indicated that poor track maintenance or a fault in the track changing point likely triggered the Delhi-Kamakhya Northeast Express derailment. They emphasized that the region where the incident occurred was not known for any unlawful activities, suggesting that this was likely an infrastructure issue.
This incident comes on the heels of a recent catastrophic event involving the Indian railways. Just months prior, India witnessed one of its worst rail disasters in two decades, occurring in Odisha. The tragedy took place on June 2nd when a passenger train collided with a stationary freight train in Bahanaga Bazaar, Odisha. The collision led to the derailment of the passenger train, resulting in a staggering loss of 288 lives and over 1,000 injuries. The disaster was attributed to faulty connections in the automated signaling system.
In the recent incident in Bihar, three of the passengers who lost their lives were identified as Usha Bhandari (33 years old), Akriti Bhandari (8 years old), and Abu Jayand (27 years old). The identity of the fourth victim was yet to be determined. Most of the injured passengers were being treated at hospitals in Buxar, Ara, and Patna.
Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw expressed his commitment to finding the root cause of the derailment and was expected to visit the accident site to assess the situation and offer support.
The ill-fated Kamakhya-bound train was running an hour and 40 minutes behind schedule when the coaches derailed around 9:35 PM after departing from Buxar station. A relief and rescue train arrived at the scene approximately four hours later, around 1:30 AM. Fortunately, all the trapped passengers were evacuated, and efforts were underway to get the derailed coaches back on track.
Birendra Kumar, the chief public relations officer of East Central Railways, stated that an expert committee had already initiated an investigation into the technical aspects of the derailment. He added that three coaches had suffered the most damage, and the fatalities occurred in these coaches. The railways promptly provided compensation to the families of the deceased, and injured passengers were also being assisted with compensation.
The derailment of the Delhi-Kamakhya Northeast Express in Bihar is a tragic incident that highlights the importance of ongoing maintenance and safety measures in the railway system. It serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of infrastructure issues and the critical role of oversight and rapid response in preventing such devastating accidents. As investigations continue, the rail network and the authorities involved must work towards implementing comprehensive safety measures to protect the lives of passengers and ensure the reliable functioning of India’s railway system.