Kanchanjunga Express Accident: 9 Killed, Human Error Likely Behind Tragedy | What We Know So Far

At least nine people were killed and 60 sustained injuries after a goods train rammed the Sealdah-bound Kanchanjunga Express near the Rangapani station in West Bengal. The accident took place at a distance of only seven kilometers from Bengal’s New Jalpaiguri station.

Three rear compartments of the express train derailed under the impact of the collision from behind by the locomotive of the goods train, railway officials informed.

Kanchanjunga Express Accident: What We Know So Far

• The Kanchanjungha Express train runs between Silchar in Assam to Sealdah in Kolkata. It was coming to Sealdah from Agartala when the goods train hit it from behind near Rangapani station.
• Loco pilot and assistant driver of the goods train and guard of the Kanchenjunga Express train have died in the incident, informed Jaya Varma Sinha, Chairman and CEO of the Railway Board.
• Prime facie, it seems the container train overshot the signal and collided with the rear portion of the stationary Kanchanjunga train. “Human error seems to be the cause. The first indications suggest that this is a case of signal disregard. Kavach needs to be proliferated and planned for West Bengal,” Sinha said.
• Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw visited the site of the train collision at Rangapani and took stock of the situation.
• Vaishnaw informed the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) has started a probe into the cause of the accident in which a goods train rammed into the Kanchanjunga Express from behind in West Bengal’s Rangapani on Monday morning.
• As per the statement given by Malda Divisional Railway Manager Vikash Chaube, the affected coaches of the Kanchanjunga Express have arrived at the Malda station. “We are trying to mitigate and the assist the 1,300 passengers on it. Our medical teams have checked-up the patients and provided them the required medicines. Besides, we have also provided them refreshments,” he added.
• Several trains were diverted to an alternate parallel route due to the accident. Around 10 trains were diverted so far, including Rajdhani.
• Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw visited the accident site and said rescue operations are being carried out on a war footing. He further announced an enhanced ex-gratia compensation to the victims. Informing about the same, the minister said that Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia would be given to victims in case of death, while Rs 2.5 lakh towards grievous and Rs 50,000 for minor injuries.
• Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Monday announced Rs 2 lakh compensation to the family members of any passenger from the state who died in the Sealdah-bound Kanchanjungha Express accident in north Bengal.