A tragic train accident occurred on Monday in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal, claiming the lives of at least five people and injuring 30 others. The Kanchenjunga Express, operating between Silchar in Assam and Sealdah in Kolkata, was heading towards Sealdah when it was struck from behind by a goods train near Rangapani station, located close to New Jalpaiguri in North Bengal. Sabyasachi De, Chief Public Relations Officer – Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), confirmed the incident.
Visuals from the accident site revealed a wagon of the Kanchenjunga Express suspended in the air, highlighting the severity of the collision. According to sources cited by ANI, the goods container train overshot a signal and collided with the rear parcel coach of the Kanchenjunga Express. The train consists of two parcel coaches and a guard’s coach.
Responding to the incident, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Divisional Railway officials rushed to the accident site, accompanied by 15 ambulances and medical equipment. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed shock upon learning of the accident and announced that the District Magistrate, Superintendent of Police, medical personnel, ambulances, and disaster teams had been deployed to the site for rescue, recovery, and medical assistance. The chief minister emphasized that immediate action had been initiated to address the situation.
The cause of the accident is being investigated, and a helpline has been established to assist families of the injured in obtaining information regarding their status. The incident has sparked concern over railway safety in the region, and authorities are working to determine the factors that contributed to the collision.
