Kaifiyat Express Derailment Wounds 100, Case Against Dumper Driver
This derailment comes just days after 22 people died due to the derailment of Utkal Express.
Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu met Prime Minister Narendra Modi after Kaifiyat Express derailed in Uttar Pradesh’s Auraiya district early on Wednesday morning. The accident left around 100 people injured. Earlier, the Utkal Express derailed near Muzaffarnagar on 19 August killing 22 people and wounding over 100.
- Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu offered to resign post train derailment incidents in UP
- Eight coaches of Kaifiyat Express derailed near Auraiya, UP around 2.40 am on Wednesday
- Around 100 people received injuries, of which four are critical
- Government named Ashwini Lohani as the new Railway Board Chairman
Case Against Dumper Driver Registered
A case has been registered against the accused driver of the dumper that collided with the Kaifiyat Express early on Wednesday. A case has also been registered against contractor Alok Dubey of Raj Construction Company with the GRP Etwah, reported ANI.
Rahul Slams BJP Govt
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to take a dig at the BJP government, following the derailment of Kaifiyat Express.
He tweeted asking if anyone could guess the number of casualties that would take for the BJP government to act on train accidents.
New Chairman for Railway Board Announced
Air India CMD Ashwini Lohani has been announced as the new Chairman of Railway Board.
He replaces AK Mittal, who quit earlier on Wednesday in the wake of two tragic train derailments in under five days in Uttar Pradesh.
Passenger Life Loss A New Norm: Congress
Following the Kaifiyat Express derailment Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala on Wednesday said that the loss of passenger life has become a “norm” in Railways, reported News18. He also remarked that Utkal Express accident was a ‘man made disaster’.
Congress also said that Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu should step down from his post if he has an “iota of morality” left in him after the derailment of two trains in five days.
Reacting to reported resignation of Railway Board chairman A K Mittal from his post, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said “asking” Mittal to step down was the “worst kind of tokenism”.
Another Train Collides With Lorry in Tamil Nadu, No Injuries Reported
A train collided with a lorry in Melnariyappanur of Tamil Nadu on Wednesday afternoon.
No injuries have been reported from the spot. This is the second such incident in the last 12 hours.
100 Passengers Injured, No Casualties So Far
As many as 100 passengers were injured as ten bogies of the Kaifiyat Express derailed in UP's Auraiya district on Wednesday, reported PTI.
Sanjay Tyagi, Superintendent of Police, Auraiya, said 10 bogies of the train derailed of which one overturned leading to injuries to 100 passengers of which four with serious injuries were rushed to Saifai and Etawah hospitals.
The SP added that no casualties have been reported so far.
PM Will Decide on Prabhu's Resignation Offer: Arun Jaitley
Union Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take a call on Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu’s offer to quit, post the derailment of two trains in Uttar Pradesh.
Jaitley reportedly said that accountability was good in any system and that the prime minister will take a call on Prabhu’s decision to resign.
Another Train Derails in Gujarat
The Bilimora-Waghai narrow gauge train derailed in Dang, Gujarat on Wednesday. According to ANI, no casualties have been reported yet.
Basic Responsibility of Passenger Safety With Govt: Dinesh Trivedi
Trinamool Congress leader Dinesh Trivedi, who was the railway minister during the UPA regime, said that the basic structure of the railways has been shaken up. Speaking to News18, he said,
Suresh Prabhu Offers to Resign
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday and tweeted that he has taken “full moral responsibility” for the train derailments within the last five days.
Reports have said that he has also offered to resign.
Trains Plying on Kanpur-Tundla Route Cancelled, Diverted
All passenger trains scheduled to run on Kanpur-Tundla route have been cancelled and more than 40 trains were diverted after Kaifiyat Express derailed early on Wednesday morning.
The trains that have been cancelled include the Kanpur-New Delhi Shatabdi Express, the Lucknow-Agra Cantt. intercity express, the Lucknow-New Delhi Gomti Express along with all other passenger trains running on the Kanpur-Tundla section, NCR Chief PRO GK Bansal told media.
He said that no passengers suffered serious injuries and the stranded passengers will be taken to Delhi in another train.
Bansal added that an Accident Relief Train (ART) train has reached the spot for rerailment and the railway line will soon be operational.
Rescue Operation Called Off
UP’s Principal Secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar said that the rescue operation is now over and around 74 passengers sustained injuries, of which four are currently critical.
Passengers Shifted to Hospital
An NDRF team has been sent to the spot of the train derailment for rescue operations. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu tweeted that senior officials have been directed to reach the accident site immediately.
Kaifiyat Express Derails Near Auraiya
Kaifiyat Express, which plies between Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi derailed near Auraiya around 2:40 am on Wednesday. The accident took place between Etawah and Kanpur.
Collision with a dumper is being cited as the reason for the derailment, as PRO Anil Saxena confirmed to The Quint.
Eight compartments along with the engine of the train were derailed due to the collision, while one compartment overturned.
Rescue work is in progress. No casualties have been reported yet.
The engine, power car, four general coaches – B2, H1, A2, A1, S10 have derailed, according to media reports.
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