DERAILMENT of trains in India continues to happen with unfailing regularity. Today that is on July 18, 2024, a few coaches of the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express train jumped the tracks in Gonda district of Uttar Pradesh. As per the reports till late evening, four passengers were killed and several injured. The toll is likely to go up, said railway sources.
Railway officials said the cause of the derailment could not be known immediately. However, some passengers said they heard an explosion before eight coaches of the express train jumped the track.
The Uttar Pradesh Government immediately extending its helping hand to the victims and their families. It announced a ex-gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh to family of the deceased and Rs 2.5 lakh for those grievously injured.
The train had left Chandigarh around around 11.30 pm last night and this afternoon, eight of its coaches jumped the track.
The train derailed between Motiganj and Jhilani railway stations. Some passengers said they heard a mild explosion before track.
Railways officials immediately rushed to the site. Several trains were either diverted or cancelled after the derailment. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said he has asked officials to take all relief measures at the accident site.
Mandeep Singh Bhatia, Ambala Divisional Railway Manager, told reporters that some coaches of the express derailed in the Lucknow division of the North Eastern Railway.