5 killed, 45 injured as Bikaner-Guwahati Express derails in Bengal, PM Modi takes stock

Kolkata/ New Delhi/Guwahati, January 13

At least five people were killed and more than 45 injured when 12 coaches of the Bikaner-Guwahati Express train derailed and some overturned near Domohani in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district on Thursday, an official said.

The accident occurred around 5 pm in an area under Alipurduar division of Northeast Frontier Railway, an NFR spokesperson said in Guwahati.

“Five passengers have died so far. We recovered three bodies from the accident site while two people died in hospital,” Jalpaiguri District Magistrate Moumita Godara Basu said, adding at least 45 passengers were injured in the accident.

Rescue and relief operation after Guwahati-Bikaner Express got derailed at Mainaguri in Jalpaiguri district, on Thursday, January 13, 2022. PTI

“Since some of them are in a critical condition, the death toll may go up,” she said, adding rescuers were thoroughly searching each coach for survivors and bodies through darkness and thick fog.

Meanwhile, President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu have expressed grief over the incident and wished speedy recovery to those injured.

“The derailment of coaches of the Bikaner-Guhawati Express near New Maynaguri, West Bengal is distressing. My thoughts and prayers are with the affected passengers and their families. I wish speedy recovery to the injured,” Kovind tweeted.

Vice President Naidu said he was deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to the train accident.

“My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” the Vice President Secretariat tweeted, quoting Naidu. PTI