Guwahati, Shillong : At least six people were killed and nearly 100 others injured after 21 coaches of 12506 Delhi-Kamakhya North East Express train derailed near the Raghunathpur station in Bihar’s Buxar district on Wednesday night.
The 12506 Down North East Express, which departed from Anand Vihar Terminal in Delhi at 7:45 am, was on its way to Kamakhya Junction in Assam’s Guwahati.
Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey on Thursday morning visited the derailment site and inspected the rescue operation and restoration work.
“Rescue operation going on at war footing at 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,” Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw wrote on X.
NDRF, SDRF, District administration, Railway officials, and local residents are carrying out the rescue operations.
Meanwhile, Railways Minister Vaishnaw informed Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma that all injured passengers are being taken to hospitals and train to ferry passengers for onward journey have started.
“Spoke to Sh @AshwiniVaishnaw ji on the #NorthEastExpress train derailment at #Buxar. He informed that all injured passengers are being taken to hospitals and train to ferry passengers for onward journey have started. Our State officials are in touch to ensure that residents from Meghalaya are being provided assistance,” Sangma wrote on X.
The Meghalaya government has also activated Helpline No. 18003453644 so that citizens can reach out to State authorities for assistance.
“We are in touch with railway authorities and have been monitoring the situation,” Sangma said.
In a post on X, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “Chief Minister’s Office is closely monitoring the unfortunate derailment of Train Number 12506 in Raghunathpur and is in touch with the District authorities in Buxar & other agencies.”
The train derailment in Bihar comes a little over four months after the triple train accident in Odisha’s Balasore, which claimed 296 lives.
