Tragic Incident in India: Over 200 Fatalities and 800 Injured as 2 Trains Derail

Tragedy Strikes India as Two Trains Derail: Over 200 Lives Lost and 800 Injured

NEW DELHI (AP) — A devastating incident unfolded in India on Friday when two passenger trains derailed, resulting in a tragic loss of over 200 lives and leaving hundreds more injured. The location of the accident, approximately 220 kilometers (137 miles) southwest of Kolkata, witnessed a harrowing scene of twisted wreckage and frantic rescue efforts as authorities worked to extricate trapped passengers and recover bodies. The cause of the derailment remains under investigation. Sudhanshu Sarangi, Chief of Fire Services, informed the Press Trust of India that over 800 individuals sustained injuries in the incident.

The derailment caused ten to twelve coaches of one train to veer off the tracks, with debris from the mangled coaches spilling onto an adjacent rail line, according to Amitabh Sharma, a spokesperson for the railroad ministry. Tragically, another passenger train traveling in the opposite direction collided with the debris, resulting in the derailment of up to three coaches from the second train. Although there are reports of a third train involved, carrying freight, railroad authorities have not yet confirmed this. The Press Trust report mentioned that some of the derailed passenger coaches collided with cars from the freight train.

As the night progressed, the death toll steadily rose. At dawn, the top official in the eastern state of Odisha confirmed that at least 207 individuals had lost their lives. Television footage captured rescue workers climbing atop the wreckage, breaking open doors and windows, and employing cutting torches in a race against time to save survivors.

Passenger Vandana Kaleda recounted her terrifying experience to New Delhi Television, describing how people fell on top of each other as their coach violently shook and derailed. She considers herself fortunate to have survived. Another survivor, who chose not to disclose his name, shared that he was jolted awake by the impact while he was asleep. He witnessed fellow passengers with broken limbs and disfigured faces.

Around 500 police officers and rescue personnel, aided by 75 ambulances and buses, swiftly responded to the scene, according to Pradeep Jena, the top official of the Odisha state. Efforts were focused on freeing an estimated 200 people believed to be trapped amidst the wreckage.

The derailed train, Coromandel Express, was reportedly traveling from Howrah in West Bengal state to Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences for the bereaved families and wished a speedy recovery to the injured. In a tweet, he stated that he had been in contact with the railway minister and assured that all possible assistance was being extended.

Despite government initiatives to enhance rail safety, India’s vast railway network, the world’s largest under single management, witnesses several hundred accidents each year. In the worst train accident in the country’s history in August 1995, two trains collided near New Delhi, claiming the lives of 358 people. Most train accidents are attributed to human error or outdated signaling equipment.

India’s railways carry more than 12 million passengers on 14,000 trains daily, covering a track length of 64,000 kilometers (40,000 miles).