RailEnquiry

BELGAUM/PENUKONDA: Twenty-five passengers were killed, 16 of them charred and 43 injured when the Bangalore-bound Hampi Express rammed into a stationary goods train after its driver apparently overshot the signal near the Penukonda Railway Station in the wee hours Tuesday. The impact of the collision that took place at 3:09 am was such that four bogies of the express train (16591) derailed and one of them caught fire near Penukonda station in Andhra Pradesh coming under Bangalore division of South Western Railway. The ill-fated train left Hubli at 6 pm on Monday. All the victims are from Karnataka. According to sources, 16 bodies were charred beyond identification in the first coach. While 25 passengers were reported dead, the injured passengers were taken by ambulance for treatment to government hospitals at Penukonda, Hindupur, Satyasai Hospital, Putaparthi and Pavagadu Hospital in Anantapur District. An Accident Relief Train and Breakdown Van reached the accident site to attend to rescue operations while another Medical Relief Van from Hindupur as well as from Dharmavaram arrived at the accident. Two huge cranes were also pressed into service for rescue operations, while Anantpur District Collector Durga Das was personally monitoring rescue operations. Immediately after receiving information, Minister of Railways Mukul Roy, who was supposed to go to Delhi from Kolkata to attend Parliament session, changed his programme and left for Bangalore by flight from Kolkata and reached the accident site. “As of now, 25 people have died and 43 people are injured in the train tragedy. The injured have been shifted to different hospitals across Anantapur district,” Railway Minister Mukul Roy told reporters. “Prima facie it seems that the driver of Hampi Express overshot the signal,” Railway spokesperson Anil Saxena said in Delhi. K H Muniyappa, Minister of State for Railways, also left from Delhi to reach the accident site. Along with Railway Board Chairman Vinay Mittal, all senior officials of Indian Railways reached the site. General Manager, South Western Railway with other Principal Heads of Departments reached the accident site by a special train. Divisional Railway Manager and other senior officials of Bangalore Division along with doctors and para-medical staff also attended to rescue operations. “Rescuers used metal cutters to get inside the bogies where passengers were stuck,” Anantpur Superintendent of Police Shahnawaz Qasim said, adding fire fighters and railway officers helped police in rescue operations. Roy said the Railway Safety Commissioner has been directed to conduct an enquiry and submit a report in 10 days. “I have ordered the Safety Commissioner to enquire and submit a report in 10 days. He has already arrived here to start the enquiry.” Police have registered a case against the express train driver and his assistant. Both are injured and have been hospitalised. A Railway official said the engine and the first three coaches were the worst hit. The first bogey is the guard-cum-luggage-cum passenger coach while, the second and third are general compartments. Sridevi Satyanarayana, a survivor who lost her father in the mishap, said her father was standing near the door and the next moment we didn’t know where he fell. One of the coaches caught fire. “After some time, we heard him moan from a mangled coach where he was trapped for nearly three hours. He asked for water and we fetched it, but we could not hear his groan anymore,” a tearful Sridevi said. Eight-year-old Sameer and his parents, who escaped unhurt, said they were sleeping when they woke up to a loud thud. “We peeped through the window and saw the train had rammed into the stationary goods train. We also saw one of the coaches catch fire.” After reaching the mishap site, Roy announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the relatives of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh for the grievously injured. An amount of Rs 25,000 would be provided to those with minor injuries, Roy said, adding that the Railways would provide jobs to family members of the deceased. “Employment will be offered to family members of the deceased within the framework of Railways,” he said. Roy said safety was the first priority and Railways have been exploring the possibility of introducing the Train Protection Warning System on electrified routes as in many European countries. However, at this juncture it would be not fair on his part to say it would be introduced in one year’s time, he said. Karnataka Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda, who also rushed to the accident site, announced a compensation of Rs 1 lakh each for the families of those killed and Rs 25,000 for those injured. South Western Railway has made arrangements to transport stranded passengers from Penukonda to Bangalore by buses and trains. The damaged track has been restored, Railways said, adding that three trains were cancelled and five running late due to the mishap.