2 killed, 16 injured as Mumbai-bound train derails in Jharkhand

“Prima facie, the train hit the edge of one of the derailed carriages of the goods train, which had come to a halt on a parallel track. The Howrah-Mumbai Mail’s engine bears collision marks on its right side. However, it is not clear how the collision took place,” said a source.

Another official said the cause of the derailment could be an operational error or a mechanical failure of the tracks or wheels. “All possible angles are being investigated,” the source said.

“The accident will be probed by a team headed by Commissioner, Safety, Railways,” Aditya Kumar Choudhary, Senior DCM, Chakradharpur, South Eastern Railway, was quoted by new agency PTI as saying. He said the goods train that derailed was on its way to Raipur from Tatanagar.

South Eastern Railway CPRO Om Prakash Charan confirmed the two deaths. The two were identified as P Bikash and Ajit Kumar Samal from Rourkela in Odisha.

The South Eastern Railway said families of the two passengers have been granted an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh each and Rs 1 lakh each has been given to eight of the injured passengers.

Announcing Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the dead and Rs 50,000 each to those injured, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren told reporters: “Lagataar jisko (trains) patri par daudna chahiye woh bepatri ho raha hai, aur jaan aur maal ka nuksaan ho raha hai (Trains are getting derailed regularly, leading to loss of life and property).”

Saraikela-Kharsawan Deputy Commissioner Ravi Shankar Shukla told The Indian Express: “As per reports available, 16 people were injured in the incident. Out of them, 13 were treated at Chakradharpur Railway Hospital and the remaining 3 were treated at Khuntpani Block Community Health Centre. On top of that 50 people were given first aid. Some may have been discharged. Restoration work is currently going on at the site.”

The incident took place around 3.45 am near Patobera village, 40 km from the district headquarters, under Chakradharpur division of South Eastern Railway.

A district administration official said the B-4 coach of the express train, in which both the victims were found trapped, is being cut with the help of NDRF personnel to check for more trapped passengers.

“A medical team and the NDRF personnel were engaged in the rescue operation,” an official said. The district administration said that a relief train was deployed for the injured passengers.

Following the derailment, several trains were disrupted in the line, according to the South Eastern Railway. According to the Railways, a Ranchi help desk (0651-27-87115) has been set up for updates on the train services.