At least 28 Hindu pilgrims were mowed down Monday by a speeding train when they were crossing the track at a railway station in Bihar's Khagaria district, triggering anger among devotees and locals who lynched the train driver and set ablaze six coaches.
Officials had earlier put the death toll to 37, but later Union Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge revised the figure to 28.
The incident occurred at Dhamara Ghat railway station in Samastipur division of Bihar at about 8.33 a.m. when the pilgrims who were passengers of two passenger trains alighted at the station and tried to cross the track. Suddenly, the Rajya Rani express train appeared and before the driver could apply the emergency brakes, the pilgrims got crushed under the wheels. Bodies lay mangled on the rail tracks.
The tragic accident also saw agitated parliamentarians raising the matter in the Rajya Sabha, with many pointing out that medical attention reached the injured late.
Assuring the MPs, Kharge said: "As per the last information 28 people were run over and lost their lives while six were injured."
He said the Madhepura-Samastipur passenger train heading towards Samastipur had halted at the station and minutes later at 8.48 a.m. the Samastipur-Madhepura passenger train heading towards Madhepura too was stopped to give precedence to Rajya Rani express.
Kharge said the driver of Rajya Rani train saw some people standing on the tracks and applied the emergency brakes.
He also announced a relief of Rs. 5 lakh for the next of kin of the dead and Rs.one lakh for the injured.
However, state Additional Director General of Police S.K. Bhardwaj confirmed the death of 37 Hindu pilgrims (Kanwariyas).
He said the train does not have a scheduled stop at Dhamara station.
The incensed pilgrims and locals set ablaze six coaches, including one AC coach, of the train. The angry crowd also attacked railway officials. Two train drivers were mercilessly beaten up, leaving one dead and the other battling for his life.
Some railway officials were also held hostage.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed shock and deep sorrow at the loss of lives and appealed for calm.
He "also appealed for calm in the area so that the relief and rescue operations can be carried out without any hindrance", said a statement issued in Delhi.
Chief Public Relations Officer of ECR Amitabh Prabhakar told IANS over telephone from its headquarters at Hajipur near Patna: "The rescue team along with railway officials has reached the accident site."
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced a compensation of Rs.2 lakh to the kin of each of the victims and described it as "the rarest of the rare incident".
"I have spoken to the union railway minister and requested him to provide highest possible compensation to them," he told mediapersons here.
According to officials, the pilgrims were going to a nearby Katyani Sthan temple to offer holy water to Lord Shiva on the fourth and final Monday of the holy month of shravan (July-August) when the mishap took place.
In the month of Shravan (July-August), thousands of Hindu pilgrims visit a temple in Deoghar, Jharkhand, where they offer holy water from the Ganga river to Lord Shiva at an ancient temple.
Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, who represents Sasaram Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar, too mourned the deaths. She urged that all necessary steps should be taken to provide immediate relief at the accident spot.
