Hampi Express accident kills 24
23 May 2012 2:03 AM GMT
Twentry-four people were killed, at least 16 of them charred to death, and over 40 others injured on Tuesday when the driver of the Bangalore-bound Hampi Express apparently overshot the signal and rammed into the rear of a stationary goods train in the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh.
The impact of the collision, that took place at 3:15 am at Penukonda railway station, was such that four bogies of the express train derailed and one of them caught fire.
'At least 16 persons were charred to death, mostly women passengers, when one of the bogies caught fire after the express train collided with the stationary goods trains,' Charu Sinha, the deputy inspector general of police (Anantapur range), said. The DIG said that the rescue and relief operations are in full swing and most of the fire services of the district have been deployed at the accident site.
Most of the victims were labourers, who were coming from Hubli and Hospet in Karnataka and were on their way to Bangalore.
'Prima facie it seems that the driver of Hampi Express overshot the signal,' Railway Spokesperson Anil Saxena said in Delhi. The police have registered a case. Both the driver and his assistant were injured and are in hospital and not in a position to speak right now.
The railway minister Mukul Roy, who was in Kolkata, rushed to the site of the accident and ordered an inquiry into it. He announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs 5 lakh each and a job to the relatives of those killed in the accident. He also announced Rs 1 lakh each to the grievously injured and Rs 25,000 each to passengers with minor injuries.
The impact of the collision, that took place at 3:15 am at Penukonda railway station, was such that four bogies of the express train derailed and one of them caught fire.
'At least 16 persons were charred to death, mostly women passengers, when one of the bogies caught fire after the express train collided with the stationary goods trains,' Charu Sinha, the deputy inspector general of police (Anantapur range), said. The DIG said that the rescue and relief operations are in full swing and most of the fire services of the district have been deployed at the accident site.
Most of the victims were labourers, who were coming from Hubli and Hospet in Karnataka and were on their way to Bangalore.
'Prima facie it seems that the driver of Hampi Express overshot the signal,' Railway Spokesperson Anil Saxena said in Delhi. The police have registered a case. Both the driver and his assistant were injured and are in hospital and not in a position to speak right now.
The railway minister Mukul Roy, who was in Kolkata, rushed to the site of the accident and ordered an inquiry into it. He announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs 5 lakh each and a job to the relatives of those killed in the accident. He also announced Rs 1 lakh each to the grievously injured and Rs 25,000 each to passengers with minor injuries.
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