At least fifteen people have lost their lives and around sixty have been injured in a devastating train collision near Jalpaiguri city in West Bengal state, Northeast India. The incident occurred when a freight train collided with a passenger train, causing three rear coaches of the passenger train to derail at approximately 8:30 am local time on Monday June 17.

Investigation and Initial Findings

Initial reports suggest that the freight train’s engineer may have disregarded signaling, as reported by Indian daily ‘The Hindustan Times’. Mamata Banerjee, the region’s chief minister, earlier described the incident as ‘a tragic accident’. The passenger train involved in the collision serves as a crucial link between the northeast region and the rest of the country, operating daily, raising concerns about potential disruptions in railway connections.

#WestBengal #TrainAccident | 5 passengers killed, over 20 injured in #KanchanjungaExpress mishap

Track all the latest updates here: https://t.co/SOq9dPMZ4O pic.twitter.com/L6b1iy0wQw

— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) June 17, 2024

Government Response and Support

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed sadness over the incident, extending condolences to those who lost loved ones. ‘Rescue operations are underway to aid the affected,’ he stated on his social media platform. He announced compensation of one million rupees (approximately 11,180 euros) for the families of the deceased and 50,000 rupees (about 559 euros) for those with less severe injuries.

Presidential Reaction

Meanwhile, President Droupadi Murmu remarked on the ‘deeply concerning’ loss of lives due to the train accident in Darjeeling, West Bengal. ‘My thoughts and prayers are with the grieving families. I pray for the swift recovery of the injured and the success of relief and rescue operations,’ she concluded on her social media platform.

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