Kanchanjungha train accident: Toll reaches nine, 30 injured

The collision led to 3 coaches of the Agartala-Sealdah Kanchanjungha Express train, which was stationed, to derail. One of the coaches had flung into the air.

The express train was travelling from Tripura's Agartala to the Sealdah Station in Kolkata.

Though Railways had hurriedly blamed the goods train driver, who is one of the deceased, for disregarding the signal, internal reports, as several media reported, claimed the automatic signal failed.

"The first indications suggest that this is a case of signal disregard. Kavach needs to proliferated, planned for West Bengal," said Jaya Varma Sinha, Chairman and CEO Railway Board had said.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who is facing the flak, reached ground zero within hours of the accident. He took stock of the
situation.

Upon reaching West Bengal, he took a bike ride to reach the spot.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who too reached the spot, questioned the absence of an anti-collision device or Kavach which could have averted the accident.

She said, "Accidents can happen. It's a fact. But where was the anti-collision device, which I had implemented being the Railway Minister?"

"Railways has become totally parentless. We can notice the grand inaugurations and beautifications like fashion shows but passengers and railway staff are not taken care of," the Chief Minister said in the backdrop of a number of train accidents recently.

As compensation, Rs. 2 lakh has been announced for the families of the deceased while Rs. 50,000 for the injured from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund.