Rajdhani Express derailed in Bihar; 4 dead

At least four people were killed and ten others injured after the engine of the Delhi-Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express derailed on Wednesday morning in Golden Ganj near Chhapra in Bihar.

The initial reports indicating Naxal sabotage, although the Home Ministry has said that it is too early to point at the Naxals.

Madhuresh Kumar, General Manager, East Central Railway, said, “An inquiry will be done by the Railway Commission. So can’t comment on it. But yes, there was a Maoist declared bandh today.”

Home Minister Rajnath Singh has expressed his anguish and said he was waiting for the full report.

“I have spoken directly to the Railway and the district officials on the spot. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been informed regarding all developments. Even he agrees that it is too early to blame the Naxals. Let us wait for further report on the incident. The Motihari incident, however, looks like the handiwork of Naxals,” Rajnath Singh told reporters.

Union Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda condemned the incident and he would visit the spot shortly.

“The officers were swift to take action and the rescue and relief work is on. A bandh was call by Maoists in the area of the accident, but the cause of derailment needs to be verified,” Gowda said.

Calling the accident ‘unfortunate’, Gowda has announced Rs 2 lakh compensation to families of the deceased, Rs 1 lakh for the critically injured and Rs 20,000 for people who had minor injuries.

Here’s the Railway Helpline numbers:

Chhapra station superintendent: 06152-243409

Railway helpline: 06279-65210, 06152-243409, 06152-237807, 09771443941

Muzaffarpur: 0621-2213034

Varanasi: 0542-2226778,0542-2224742

Gazipur city: 0548-2223435, 9794843922

Balia: 05498-223024, 09794843923

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