Death toll in Chhattisgarh train accident rises to 11

Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh): The death toll in the collision of a MEMU with a goods train near Bilaspur railway station in Chhattisgarh has gone up to 11. Rescue personnel had to toil for hours, cutting through the mangled coach of the passenger train, as several bodies were badly trapped in the wreckage, a railway official said.

The incident occurred around 4 pm on Tuesday when the MEMU (mainline electric multiple unit) passenger train was heading to Bilaspur from Gevra (in neighbouring Korba district). The affected line was restored on Wednesday morning, the officials said.

"Eleven persons, including six women, have lost their lives, and 20 others were injured in the accident," a statement issued by the Railways said.

The impact of the collision was so severe that a coach of the passenger train ended up on top of a wagon of the cargo train, the railway officials said.

The rescue and restoration work on the affected line was completed by 5.30 am on Wednesday.

Of the 11 deceased, five have been identified as passenger train local pilot Vidya Sagar (53), Lovkush Shukla (41), Ranjeet Prabhakar (in his early 40s), Shila Yadav (25) and Priya Chandra (21), PTI reported. Four women and two men among the deceased are yet to be identified.

The 20 injured include nine women and a two-year-old boy. Assistant loco pilot of the passenger train, Rashmi Raj (34), train manager (guard) Ashok Kumar Dixit (54), and guard of the goods train Shailesh Chadra (49) were among those hospitalised, according to the officials.

"The passenger train hit the stationary goods train from behind at a speed of 60 to 70 kmph after overshooting a red signal," a senior railway official said. "It is now a matter of investigation as to why the loco pilot jumped the red signal and failed to apply the emergency brakes in time, even though the goods train was within visible distance," the official said.

The passenger train rammed into the brake van with such force that it was badly mangled. After the collision, half motor coach of the passenger train climbed onto the wagon next to the brake van, the official said.

The manager (guard) of the goods train jumped out of the brake van - the last coach of the goods train - at the last moment and sustained minor injuries, the official added.

The Railways announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the kin of the deceased and ₹5 lakh to the seriously injured persons, while those who sustained minor injuries will receive ₹1 lakh assistance, an official statement said.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed grief over the accident and announced a compensation of ₹5 lakh to the kin of each of the deceased and ₹50,000 each to the injured persons.