At least 62 people, including three railway employees, were killed and over 90 injured early on Monday after a speeding Sealdah-bound Uttarbanga Express rammed into the rear coaches of the stationary Vananchal Express at Sainthia station in West Bengal’s Birbhum district.
The accident, the second in the state in less than two months, took place just past 2 am when the New Coochbehar-Sealdah Uttarbanga Express apparently overshot the signal and hit the Bhagalpur-Ranchi Vananchal Express. On May 28, the Howrah-Mumbai Jnaneshwari Express had met with an accident near Jhargram in West Midnapore district, leaving 148 dead following a Naxal sabotage.
Although the railways are yet to ascertain the exact cause of the incident, top officials have indicated that the focus of the investigation would be on the deceased driver M C Dey and his assistant Nirmal Kumar, who drove the Uttarbanga Express at an unusually high speed.
The guard of the Vananchal Express, A Mukherjee, was also killed in the mishap. Earlier in the day, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee had expressed “suspicion” over the reasons behind the accident. “We have some doubt in our mind. Whatever happened is not a casual thing,” she said.
Banerjee has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh and employment to one member of each family of the dead. The seriously injured would receive Rs 1 lakh and those with minor injuries Rs 25,000.
The Jnaneswari incident had happened two days ahead of the municipal elections in West Bengal, Banerjee pointed out. What she left unsaid was that the ‘martyrs day’ and Trinamool Congress’ victory celebrations were slated for July 21.