Several passengers sustained injuries following a collision between a goods train and the Sealdah-bound Kanchanjunga Express near New Jalpaiguri in north Bengal. Rescue and relief operations are underway.
Watch:
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee used her social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), to express her dismay over a tragic incident. She stated, Shocked to learn, just now, about a tragic train accident, in Phansidewa area of Darjeeling district. While details are awaited, Kanchenjunga Express has reportedly been hit by a goods train. DM, SP, doctors, ambulances and disaster teams have been rushed to the site for rescue, recovery, medical assistance. Action on war-footing initiated.
The Kanchanjunga Express operates daily, linking Bengal with the Northeastern cities of Silchar and Agartala. This railway route passes through the Chicken's Neck corridor, crucial for connecting the Northeast with the rest of the country. Any incidents on this line could disrupt the schedules of numerous other trains.
As per current reports, a goods train exceeded the signal and collided with the Kanchanjunga Express. The National Disaster Response Force and ambulances have been dispatched to the scene. Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is reportedly overseeing the situation from the Railways war room in Delhi.