At least four people died and over 100 were injured after six coaches of the North East Express derailed in Bihar’s Buxar late on Wednesday, an official said. Buxar SP Manish Kumar, who was present at the site, confirmed the number of casualties by the time this news was reported.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said a rescue operation going on at war footing at the Buxar derailment site. “NDRF, SDRF, District administration, Railway officials, and local residents are all working as one team. Injured shifted to hospital. War room operating,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
The minister said that the the rescue operation will be completed soon and the track will be restored.
The accident took place at 9.35 pm near Raghunathpur railway station in the Danapur division. The North East Express (12506), operated by the Northeast Frontier Railway, was going from Anand Vihar Terminal to Kamakhya Junction in Assam.
At least 17 trains have been diverted in the wake of incident.
The Ministry of Railways has established helplines for assistance:
Patna: 9771449971
Danapur: 8905697493
COMM Control: 7759070004
Arrah: 8306182542
Prayagraj: 0532-2408128, 0532-2407353, 0532-2408149
Fatehpur: 05180-222026, 05180-222025, 05180-222436
Kanpur: 0512-2323016, 0512-2323018, 0512-2323015
Etawah: 7525001249
Tundla: 05612-220338, 05612-220339, 05612-220337
Aligarh: 0571-2409348
Bhojpur DM Raj Kumar said: “As soon as we got information about the train derailment in Raghunathpur, the district administration has been on alert mode. We sent 15 ambulances, four to five buses. An SDRF team has been sent. All necessary arrangements have been made to provide treatment to the injured. Doctors have been called. The blood bank has been opened…”
Apart from Delhi, the superfast and passenger-heavy train traverses the four states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Assam on a daily basis. It has 28 stops on the route, including major stations like Kanpur, Allahabad, Mughalsarai, Patna, Jalpaiguri among others. It covers a distance of 1,856 km in a little over 33 hours.
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav said he has spoken to the DM and SP of Buxar and Arrah, and has directed them to make proper arrangements for the injured and send concerned officers to the incident site as soon as possible.
BJP president J.P.Nadda spoke to Bihar BJP State president Samrat Choudhary over phone and directed the BJP workers to immediately cooperate for relief and rescue work at the accident site.
Assam chief minister’s office said it is closely monitoring the derailment of the North East Express in Raghunathpur and is in touch with the district authorities in Buxar as well as other agencies.
Union minister and Buxar MP Ashwini Kumar Choubey said: “A tragic incident has happened in our Buxar area, as some coaches of the North East Superfast train have derailed at Raghunathpur station. I have come to know that three coaches have derailed. I have also spoken to DG NDRF, chief secretary, DM, DG and GM Railways. I have appealed to our workers and they are engaged in rescue operations. Medical teams have been sent. Rescue operation is going on. I am also going to Raghunathpur, Buxar…”
