Jamshedpur, July 30: Two persons died and 20 others were injured, some of them critically, after 18 coaches of the train bound for Mumbai derailed after hitting a goods train in the Seraikela-Kharsawan district early Tuesday morning, Seraikela police said.
According to the local district administration, the train derailed near Badabamboo railway station, around 80 km from Jamshedpur, around 3:45 am.
Officials said teams were rushed to the accident site immediately after the derailment was notified, and a rescue operation was launched.
“Rescue operation was immediately pressed into service with the help of local police and NDRF,” West Singhbhum Deputy Commissioner Kuldeep Chaudhary, who is camping at the accident site, said.
South Eastern Railways (SER) spokesperson Om Prakash Charan said, “A goods train had also derailed nearby, but it is not yet clear whether the two accidents occurred concurrently.”
Charan further added that out of the 18 coaches that derailed, 16 were passenger coaches, one was a power car, and one was a pantry car.
Saraikela-Kharsawan superintendent of police Mukesh, talking to the media, said, “Our police personnel were rescuing people from the site within minutes of the accident. The injured were sent to Chakradharpur for better treatment using police and private vehicles.”
He added that all hospitals and blood banks in East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum, and Saraikela-Kharsawan districts were kept on alert.
“The two people who died in the accident were stuck in the toilet of the train. The NDRF team has recovered their bodies,” he added.
The SP informed the media that the injured are being treated at CKP Railway Hospital and Khutpani Block Hospital. “All the injured are out of danger,” added the SP.
A few hours after the incident, Health Minister Banna Gupta, Tribal Welfare Minister Deepak Birua, and local MLA Dashrath Gagrai rushed to the accident site to monitor the rescue work.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced ex-gratia compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the families of the deceased, Rs 5 lakh for those who have suffered serious injuries, and Rs 1 lakh for those with minor injuries.
Meanwhile, the Jharkhand government has announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh for the family members of those killed.
South Eastern Railway Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Aditya Kumar Chaudhary said, “We first focus was relief and rescue. Now we are focusing on restoration (of tracks).”
Helpline Numbers Released by Railways
In response to the accident, the Railways has issued helpline numbers for various stations:
- Chakradharpur railway station: 06587-238072 (railway number 72770)
- Tata Nagar: 0657-2290324 (railway number 735223)
- Rourkela: 0661-2501072, 0661-2500191, 0661-2500171
- Jharsuguda: 06645-272530
- Ranchi helpline desk: 0651-27-87115.
Additionally, a help desk has been set up at Barabambo station for information on passengers. A medical team from Ranchi is en route to the site.
Accident
The Howrah-Mumbai Mail left Howrah at 11:02 pm on Monday and reached Tatanagar at 2:37 am. After a brief two-minute halt, it departed for Chakradharpur but derailed near Barabambo at 3:45 am on Tuesday. The impact caused several coaches to become entangled and twisted due to high speed, with many coaches coming to rest close together.
Traffic Halted on Howrah-Mumbai Route
The accident has brought traffic on the Howrah-Mumbai route to a complete halt. The spread of derailed coaches, including those from goods trains, has affected the third line.
The overhead line, poles, and train tracks have sustained significant damage, further complicating the restoration of normal operations.
