9 Died And 41 Injured In A Tragic Train Accident In West Bengal
By a staff reporter
Kolkata, 18 June 2024:On the morning of June 17, 2024, a tragic train accident occurred near Rangapani station in Darjeeling district. At approximately 08:55 AM, the Sealdah-bound Kanchanjunga Express, coming from Agartala, was waiting at a signal when it was struck from behind by a goods train. The collision caused three rear coaches of the Kanchanjunga Express to derail. The accident resulted in the deaths of nine individuals, including seven passengers and two railway staff members. Additionally, 41 people sustained injuries of varying severity. Local people rushed to the spot and initiated the rescue operation immediately. They played a crucial role in extricating passengers from the derailed coaches and providing first aid to the injured. Police and railway officials were informed about the incident. All the injured people were taken to the North Bengal Medical Hospital for treatment.
The Railway Ministry has set up a probe team consisting of six officials to investigate the cause of the accident. Initial investigations indicate that the driver of the goods train violated both the signal and speed restrictions, leading to the collision with the stationary Kanchanjunga Express. The Prime Minister and the Chief Minister of West Bengal have expressed their condolences, describing the incident as tragic and heart-rending. In a show of support, the Railway Ministry announced an ex-gratia compensation of ₹10 lakh to be provided to the next of kin of each deceased individual.
Rahul Saha, a social worker of Rangapani said to us, " The loss of lives in the train accident is very painful for all of us. The railway department should be aware of the mismanagement and negligence related to this matter and should adopt more modern technologies to prevent such type of collision."
