Sonarpur Local hits guard wall at Sealdah stn, 24 injured

Around 24 passengers were injured when an Up Sonarpur local hit a platform guard wall at Sealdah Station on Wednesday morning leading to the suspension of train services in the Sealdah South section for a few minutes.

The accident occurred at platform number 13 at 10.20 am when the EMU local rammed into the guard wall triggering panic among the commuters who were travelling in the train. A major accident has been averted due to the low speed of the train when it was entering Sealdah station. The second compartment from the frontal portion of the train derailed as soon as the train hit the guard wall. Three pairs of EMU locals had to be cancelled due to the accident.

The derailed compartment of the train hit a stationary train which was on platform number 14. Around sixteen passengers who suffered injuries were immediately rushed to B R Singh Railway hospital and five others to NRS Medical College and hospital for treatment. A senior railway official has, however, claimed that three persons suffered minor injuries in the incident.

The passengers felt a major jolt when the train was about to stop at the platform and some of them fell from their seats. Sources said that the train was running at a faster speed than the stipulated speed when the train dashed against the guard wall after hitting the buffer. Three pairs of EMU locals had to be cancelled. However, train movements were maintained at Sealdah South section through other platforms.

A senior official of the Eastern Railways said that two wheels of a compartment of the Sonarpur-Sealdah local got derailed after hitting the buffer of platform number 13. The motor man and the guard of the train were suspended after the incident. The railways have ordered a probe into the incident. A medical van rushed to the spot along with railway doctors and paramedical staff soon after the incident. The derailed compartment of the train was again put on the tracks at around 12.13 pm. Three persons sustained minor injuries.

A railway statement said that Manirul Haque, motorman and R A Biswas, the guard of the EMU local have been suspended. A probe has been ordered in this regard. Train services on the south suburban route have been affected following the incident. It is being looked into if the air brake of the train worked properly when the motor man applied it.

Eastern Railway CPRO, R N Mahapatra said that they are inquiring how the train hit the buffer. It is yet to be ascertained whether what actually happened was an accident or a technical fault.