Despite government promises, railway accidents continue to haunt the nation, posing risks to passengers. A recent afternoon saw such a catastrophe near Gonda in Uttar Pradesh, when the Dibrugarh Express derailed. The accident, happening around 2:37 pm, caused the overturning of several coaches and resulted in two fatalities and over 31 injuries. An investigation has been launched.
Amidst this, the driver claimed to have heard an explosion prior to the mishap, suggesting a possible sabotage. However, this claim was later dismissed by UP's top police official. At around half-past two in the afternoon, train number 15904 en route from Chandigarh to Dibrugarh met with a disaster near Jhilahi, about 25 km from Gonda Station, with 8 carriages overturning.
Even before medical and rescue teams arrived, people struggled to extricate themselves and their loved ones from the overturned carriages. Meanwhile, the central government faced criticism once again, sparking debates about the efficacy of the rail safety measures in place.
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Source: aajtak
Opposition Raises Questions on the Accident
Leaders across political lines questioned the government's commitment to rail security. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge indicated this incident is yet another testament to the jeopardizing of rail safety in Modi's governance. Akhilesh Yadav called for accountability from the BJP government. Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh from AAP criticized the high-speed rail travel on weak infrastructure, while Mamata Banerjee questioned when the government will prioritize passenger safety.
What was the Real Cause of the Accident?
The accident raises the question: What went wrong? In a country with a daily ridership exceeding Australia's population, why do we continue to see trust in railways derailing? While most accidents result from derailment, the exact reason for the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express's flip remains to be revealed post-inquiry.
Source: aajtak
How Genuine was the Claim of an Explosion Sound?
Before any official inspection, a claim emerged: the train's loco pilot had heard an explosion right before the accident, a statement also supported by a passenger to ANI. Yet, by evening, UP’s DGP Prashant Kumar refuted this claim, stating there was no explosion. This leads to the question of the nature of the sound that was purportedly heard by the pilot and the passenger.
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Rail Ministry Announces Compensation
The Rail Ministry has announced compensation for the deceased and injured. It reported that the families of the deceased would receive INR 10 lakhs, the seriously injured INR 2.5 lakhs, and those with minor injuries INR 50,000. Besides the CRS investigation, higher-level inquiries have been initiated. The deceased have been identified as Saroj Kumar Singh (31) from Bihar's Araria and Rahul (38) from Chandigarh.
All I Remember are the Screams: Passenger
Passengers began evacuating the overturned carriages even before relief teams arrived. Some went back to retrieve their belongings, then waited by the rails for the rescue workers. According to PTI, a passenger, Sandeep Kumar, recollected, “For a moment, the coach filled with dust and darkness enveloped us. I can't remember what happened in the next few seconds. All I remember are the screams, and a passenger pulled on my hand, helping me out of the window."
