UP Gonda Train Accident Live Updates: Death toll rises to 4, high-level probe underway

With the recovery of one more body inside a bogie on Friday morning, the total number of deaths due to the derailment of the Dibrugarh Express train has rose to four. The body was recovered when the bogie, which had turned turtle in the incident, was lifted by a crane, said a railway officer.

As eight coaches of Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express train derailed on Thursday, what shocked the passengers was the loud noise of the coaches leaving the track and toppling over to the left. Loud cries, especially of children, erupted and passengers started coming out of emergency windows and doors of the tilted sleeper coaches swiftly.

In AC coaches, passengers aided each to break the window panes and pull out those injured. Some had to wade through knee-deep water in the fields to reach a safe place.

With PTI inputs

The situation remains grim in UP's Gonda where Chandigarh Dibrugarh Express derailed on Thursday. The tragic incident left shockwaves among the passengers inside the train.

Sandeep Kumar, a passenger who was travelling on a sleeper coach, recounted the horrifying moments and told PTI, "I remember the loud cries of a boy sitting on the berth across from me. For a moment, the coach was filled with dust and it was all dark. I don't remember what happened in the next few seconds. I only remember the cries and that some passengers pulled my hand and helped me get out of the window."

Another passenger Manish Tiwari remembered a strong jerk he felt before being thrown on the other side. Tiwari told the news agency, "I was sitting near the window when I heard a loud noise."

"I climbed to the upper berth to catch a nap after the train left Gonda. I just remember a strong jerk before being thrown on the other side's upper berth. I hoped it was a dream, but it wasn't," said another passenger Dileep Singh.

As track restoration work is underway in Gonda, General Manager North Eastern Railway, Saumya Mathur told ANI, "The restoration work is underway...The checking process is being done and within some hours the upline will be restored...We are working to ensure that the entire section gets restored by evening..."

Track restoration work is underway at the accident site in Gonda. A special train with 600 passengers of the derailed Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express train left for Assam yesterday.

Three people died and 32 others were injured when eight coaches of Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express train derailed in Gonda district of Uttar Pradesh on Thursday afternoon. The condition of six injured, including a woman, is said to be serious.

The Assam-bound train from Chandigarh derailed between Jhilahi and Motiganj railway stations, 30 km from Gonda town.

The deceased have been identified as Rahul (38), a resident of Chandigarh; and Saroj Kumar Singh (30) from Bihar. The identity of the third person, also a male, is yet to be ascertained.

The Railways and the UP Police are investigating the claim of the train’s loco pilot, who said that he heard an explosion just before the derailment.

Officials have identified the two people killed in the train accident as Saroj Kumar Singh (31), a resident of Araria in Bihar, and Rahul (38) from Chandigarh, according to news agency PTI.

Meanwhile, 30 of the injured are being treated at two community health centres and three at the district hospital, PTI reported.

Assam-bound Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express derailed and six of its coaches overturned in UP's Gonda district at around 2.30pm on Thursday. While initially the death toll was reported to be four, it was revised to two, and the total number of those injured stood at 35. 

However, there is no update from officials about what could have led to the derailment. A high-level inquiry has been initiated to ascertain the same, Railways officials said. 

Meanwhile, rescue operations have ended as officials said that all passengers have been rescued. Those injured were hospitaled for treatment after being given first-aid, they said. 

CM Adityanth expressed grief over the accident. An ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh was announced for the kin of the deceased.    

At least 35 people have been reported to have suffered injuries in the Dibrugarh train accident, officials said.  

In the evening, UP Relief Commissioner G S Naveen said the rescue operation was over and nobody was trapped in the coaches. Only the tracks remained to be cleared.

With PTI inputs

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said no casualties from his state have so far been reported in the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express derailment in Uttar Pradesh.

Sarma said teams are on standby for support, and he is closely monitoring the situation.

A Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) bulletin said a special train has been arranged to bring the stranded passengers to Dibrugarh, while helpline numbers have been opened to assist with any information on the accident.

“Shocked to learn about the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh train accident in UP today. I am monitoring the situation closely,” Sarma wrote on X.
“We will do our best to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone,” he said.

The NFR bulletin said the stranded passengers of the derailed train are being brought by bus to Mankapur station near Gonda.

“A special train has been arranged for them from Mankapur to Dibrugarh with stoppages en route,” it said.

The bulletin also said in the wake of the accident, three trains under the NFR are being run through a diverted route.

The diverted trains are 15707 Katihar-Amritsar Amrapali Express, 15603 Guwahati -Jammu Tawi Amarnath Express and 15910 Lalgarh-Dibrugarh Avadh Assam Express.

Helpline numbers have been activated at multiple railway stations to provide information to the public, it said.

The Railways has initiated a high-level inquiry into the incident that has killed two people and injured seven others. Chief public relation officer, North Eastern Railway, Pankaj Singh added that it would be part of the inquiry to verify claims that a minor explosion had taken before the derailment.

ACommission of Railway Safety inquiry has also been ordered into the matter, he said. 

Following the train accident, the Railways has announced Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia to the kin of the deceased, Rs 2.5 lakh to those seriously injured and Rs 50,000 to those who suffered minor injuries, 

The Trinamool Congress has blamed Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for the derailment of the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express in Uttar Pradesh, which claimed four lives and left at least 20 people injured on Thursday.

While the party's Rajya Sabha MP and national spokesperson Sushmita Dev said the railways, which serves as the primary mode of travel for millions, is no longer safe, TMC Krishnanagar MP Mahua Moitra commented that the railways appeared to have entered an "emergency room" phase after 10 years of the Narendra Modi government.
"Another train derailment. This time the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express! Indian Railways, which is the primary mode of travel for crores of common people is no more safe!", Dev posted on X.

Offering her condolences to the bereaved families and expressing solidarity with the injured, Dev said, "Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the blue-eyed boy of @PMOIndia, is costing us lives!" Echoing Dev, Moitra said, "Another derailment in UP. Shame @AshwiniVaishnaw - Indian Railways in Emergency room after 10 years of Jumla Sarkar." 

Moitra emphasised the urgent need for safety measures, advocating for the immediate installation of the automated train collision avoidance system (KAVACH) across all railway routes.

With PTI inputs

Since 1995, the country has witnessed seven deadly train accidents, five of which took more than 200 lives — the highest number of deaths, 358, was recorded in the Firozabad collision of 1995. The multiple train collision at Balasore in Odisha, about a year ago, claimed 287 lives. Together, these seven accidents took more than 1,600 lives.

Following the train accident, the Congress demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw take responsibility of the "massive lapses" and the Kavach anti-collision system should be installed expeditiously on all routes.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the derailment of Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express in Uttar Pradesh is yet another instance of how the Modi government has "systematically jeopardised" rail safety.

"Our deepest condolences to the families of the bereaved and our thoughts and prayers are with the injured. A month ago, 11 people lost their lives when a goods train collided with the Sealdah–Agartala Kanchanjunga Express," he said.

Kharge pointed out that the Commissioner of Railway Safety has stated that the accident was "waiting to happen".

"Failure of automatic signal, lapses at multiple levels in managing operations and non-availability of critical safety equipment such as walkie-talkie with the loco pilot and train manager are some of the reasons cited for collision in the probe report," Kharge said.

"PM Narendra Modi and his Railway Minister, who leaves no opportunity for self-publicity, must take direct responsibility of the massive lapses that have plagued the Indian Railways," he added.

The Congress president said his party's single demand was that the Kavach anti-collision system be "installed expeditiously" on all routes across India to ensure enhanced safety measures and prevent accidents.

Four people were killed and 20 injured when eight coaches of the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express derailed near Gonda in Uttar Pradesh

After some coaches of the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express derailed near Jhilahi Railway Station in Gonda, the Assam Chief Minister's office said that the CM is monitoring the situation.

"Dr Himanta Biswa has been briefed about the derailment of the Dibrugarh - Chandigarh express in Uttar Pradesh. HCM is monitoring the situation, and the Government of Assam is in touch with relevant authorities," said an official release by the Assam Chief Minister's office.

Officials have set up a help desk at Chandigarh railway station for kin of the passengers travelling in the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express which derailed in UP's Gonda earlier in the day. At least four people have died and several injured in the accident, according to officials.   

In a major relief, Gonda DM Neha Sharma said apart from the four casuaties, all other passengers of the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express have been rescued. Eight coaches of the train had derailed in the afternoon, she said. 

"All available ambulances have reached here and locals have supported us in rescue operation," said the DM.

With PTI inputs

Uttar Pradesh Relief Commissioner GS Naveen Kumar said 20 people have been injured in the accident so far.

A 40-member medical team and 15 ambulances are at the spot and more medical teams and ambulances are being rushed there, he said.

With PTI inputs

The death toll in the train accident has risen to four, UP Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak said. 

With PTI inputs 

The district commissioner of Gonda, along with top police and Railways officials have reached the spot to oversee rescue operations.   

One NDRF team each has been sent from Lucknow and Balrampur to the accident site in Gonda, said UP Relief Commissioner GS Naveen Kumar. Five ambulances have also been deployed for rescue operations and orders have been given to send more ambulances to the spot. Rescue personnel are shifting those injured to a hospital, the official said. 

"First aid is being given to the injured. The injured are being shifted to the hospital. SDRF teams sent from three districts to expedite relief operations",he said.

At least two people have died in the train accident, said UP Relief Commissioner GS Naveen Kumar. Rescue and relief operations ate currently underway. 

With PTI inputs 

Several train accidents have occurred in India over the last decade for multiple reasons, ranging from mechanical failures to human negligence. Here is a look at some major instances, their causes and what the authorities said.

1. Gorakhdham Express in 2014
On May 26, 2014, the Gorakhdham Express on the Hisar-Gorakhpur route was passing through a double-line section in Uttar Pradesh, when its locomotive derailed along with 11 coaches.The cause of the accident was deemed to be a “fracture of tongue rail”, which helps trains smoothly switch their path to another railway line, and it was classified as “Failure of Equipment”. At least 29 passengers lost their lives, with more than 70 people sustaining injuries.

2. Janata Express in 2015
The Varanasi-Dehradun Janata Express failed to stop at a station in Uttar Pradesh, leading to a crash and derailment of some coaches on March 20, 2015. “While the train was entering Bachhrawan station, the loco pilot of the train overshot the signal and crashed into the sand hump, causing derailment of the train engine and two coaches,” a Railways spokesperson said at the time. Around 39 passengers were killed and 150 people were injured.

3. Indore-Patna Express in 2016
On November 20, 2016, 14 coaches of the Indore-Patna Express derailed in the Pukhrayan area of the Kanpur Dehat district. The accident claimed 152 lives – one of the biggest death tolls for railway accidents in recent years.

4. Hirakhand Express in 2017
On January 21, 2017, the Jagdalpur-Bhubaneswar Hirakhand Express derailed at the Kuneru station in Andhra Pradesh. The Odisha-bound train’s mishap led to the deaths of 40 people and injuries to more than 50.

5. Jalandhar-Amritsar DMU, Amritsar-Howrah Express in 2018
Nearly 60 people were killed and several injured after two trains mowed down the people who stood on the railway tracks near Amritsar on October 19, 2018, to see Dussehra celebrations nearby. A crowd of around 300 people had gathered to watch the fireworks when the Jalandhar-Amritsar DMU came on the tracks.

6. Seemanchal Express in 2019
Seven people died and several others were injured after a rail fracture led to the derailment of bogies of the Delhi-bound Seemanchal Express in Bihar’s Vaishali district on February 3, 2019. Nine train coaches derailed near the Sahdei-Buzurg railway station.

7. Freight train leads to deaths of 16 migrant workers near Aurangabad, 2020
An empty freight train, going from Cherlapally Station near Hyderabad to the Panewadi Station in Nashik, accidentally mowed down 16 workers who were sleeping on the tracks on May 8, 2020. The loco pilot reportedly spotted the workers but failed to stop the train in time.

8. Bikaner-Guwahati Express in 2022
On January 13, 2022, 10 passengers were killed and more than 40 injured after 12 coaches of the Bikaner-Guwahati Express derailed in the Domohani area of West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district. According to the CRS, the cause of the derailment was “Failure of equipment (locomotive)”.

9. Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express, Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and goods train in 2023
A triple-train collision resulted in one of the worst railway accidents in India, leading to the deaths of at least 293 people on June 2, 2023.

10. Kanchanjunga Express, June 2024

Nine persons were killed and at least 40 injured after the Sealdah-bound Kanchanjunga Express from Agartala was hit by a goods train from the rear in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district on June 7 this year.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the accident even as he directed officials to carry out relief and rescue operations. 

The train accident in Gonda district is extremely sad. District administration officials have been directed to carry out relief and rescue operations on a war footing and to take the injured to the hospital on top priority and provide them proper treatment, " he said in a post on X.

"I pray to Lord Shri Ram for the speedy recovery of the injured," the CM added.

The UP train derailment has taken place over a month after nine people were killed and 25 others were injured after the Kanchanjunga Express met with a collision on June 7, A container freight train had slammed into it near West Bengal’s New Jalpaiguri.

Reports stated that the derailment happened in Gonda district, over 100 km from state capital Lucknow.

The Indian Railways has started the relief operation and medical vans have reached the accident site, according to PTI.

The Railway Board has issued the following helpline numbers - Commercial Control: 9957555984, Furkating (FKG): 9957555966, Mariani (MXN): 6001882410, Simalguri (SLGR): 8789543798, Tinsukia (NTSK): 9957555959, Dibrugarh (DBRG): 9957555960. 

According to police, some coaches of the passenger train headed to Dibrugarh derailed between Motiganj and Jhilahi railway stations, news agency PTi reported.

TV visuals show coaches of the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express, which connects the northern states to the eastern state of Assam, on their sides along the tracks, with passengers sitting outside with their luggage.

With inputs from Reuters

Emergency helpline numbers have been issued for assistance.