Five persons were killed and nine others, including a child, injured in a collision between the Delhi-bound Brahmaputra Mail and a stationary goods train, about 25 km from Sahibganj in Jharkhand.
The accident occurred at 5.50 a.m when the Brahmaputra Mail was on its way to Delhi from Dibrugarh.
The Brahmaputra Mail was passing through Karonpuroto station under Malda Division of Eastern Railway when a stationary goods train parked on the main line started rolling back hitting the mail train, sources said.
The impact of the collision caused the guard cabin of the goods train, which was on the loop line, to mount the S9 coach of the train, the sources said.
The Superintendent of Police (Rail), Mr Praveen Srivastav, however, said, “A bogie of 14055 Bramhaputra Mail derailed and dashed against a stationary goods train”.
Condoling the loss of lives, the Railway Minister, Mr Dinesh Trivedi, has announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the seriously injured, Rs 10,000 will be paid to passengers with minor injuries.
The Railway PRO, Mr Anil Saxena, said the divisional railway manager of Malda was at the site along with other senior officials. “They are all focusing on relief and rescue operations.