Five persons were killed on Wednesday and four others injured in a collision between the New Delhi-bound Bramhaputra Mail and a goods train at Karonpuroto, about 25 km from Sahibganj in Jharkhand. The accident occurred at 5.50 am when the train was on its way to New Delhi from Dibrugarh.
Giving details of the mishap, Railway Public Relations Officer Anil Saxena said the Brahmaputra Mail was passing through Karonpuroto when a stationary goods train parked on the main line started rolling back. So while it was rolling back, it hit the Brahmaputra Mail. As a result of this side collision, five persons were killed, he said.
However, Praveen Srivastav, superintendent of police (rail) said, "A bogie of 14055 Bramhaputra Mail derailed and dashed against a stationary goods train."
The impact of the collision caused the guard-cabin of the goods train, which was on the loop line, to mount the S-9 coach of the train, a railway official said.
Condoling the loss of lives in the mishap, Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each for those killed and Rs 50,000 for those seriously injured. Passengers, who have received simple injuries, will get a compensation of Rs 10,000.
Saxena said the divisional railway manager of Malda is at the site along with other senior officials. "They are all focusing on relief and rescue operations. The railway board in Delhi is taking stock of the entire accident and once the relief and rescue operations are over and the investigation done, if somebody is found responsible or careless, stern action will be taken against that railway employee," he said.
A railway official in Sahibganj said, "An engine was attached to the rear coaches of the train after detaching them from the front coaches, and sent to Malda station in West Bengal."
