Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnav on Monday arrived at the Bagdogra Airport to make a spot study of the Railway accident at Ranidanga in Darjeeling district where a goods train hit the Sealdah bound Kanchanjunga Express in which 8 people were killed and some 25 injured, official sources said.
Unofficial sources said the list of injuries was higher than the number announced by NF Railway sources
” Unfortunate accident in the NFR zone. Rescue operations going on at war footing. Railways, NDRF, and SDRF are working in close coordination. The injured are being shifted to the hospital. Senior officials have reached the site,” Ashwini Vaishnaw said on his X handle.
Sources said Vaishnav took a pillion ride to reach the accident site Ranidanga near Phansidewa, about 11 KM south of the NJP Junction near Siliguri.
The latest report said the Railways Minister told reporters at the Bagdogra Airport that he would first visit the accident spot and then go to the hospitals where the injured have been admitted.
Sources said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was already at the Kolkata Airport on her way to Bagdogra.
At the Dum Dum Airport Banerjee accused the Railways authorities of the accident and asked why the accident happened when the anti-collision device was developed during her tenure in the railway ministry.
State governor CV Ananda Bose is also expected to visit the accident site.
Official sources said at least eight people, including three Railway staff and five civilians, were killed in the accident.
Two of the deceased have been identified so far– one as Shankar Mohan Das, an RMS employee and resident of Kolkata and Sub-Inspector of Excise Department K Subba, a resident of Kalimpong.
Subba was proceeding to his posting at Manikchak in Malda after the vacation when the accident ocurred.
