Indore-Patna express derails near Kanpur
14 coaches of the Indore-Patna express derailed at Pukhrayan in Kanpur. Authorities have stated that so far, over 91 people have died and over 150 are injured. The Director General of Railways, Gopal Gupta stated that rescue operations were underway and that the casualty count be significantly higher. Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu have ordered a probe into the incident.
Indore-Patna express derails near Kanpur
14 coaches of the Indore-Patna express derailed at Pukhrayan in Kanpur. Authorities have stated that so far, over 91 people have died and over 150 are injured. The Director General of Railways, Gopal Gupta stated that rescue operations were underway and that the casualty count be significantly higher. Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu have ordered a probe into the incident.
The accident
Reports suggest that the accident took place at 3:00 AM, while most passengers were asleep. The incident occurred at Pukhrayan which is 100 km from Kanpur. The cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained.
What did officials say?
Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu said "Rs.3.5 lakhs to be given to the departed's kin as ex-gratia." He said a "compensation of Rs.50000 announced in case of grievous injury and Rs.25000 in case of simple injury." Home Minister Rajnath Singh asked NDRF Chief O.P. Singh to provide assistance to the Railway authorities. PM Modi tweeted his "Prayers with those injured in the tragic train accident."
Death toll at 120, train was running over capacity
The death toll from the Indore-Patna express derailment has reached 120, making it India's worst rail disaster in 6 years. Sources said fracturing of the track caused by seasonal change is the likely cause of derailment; sources also said that the train may have been running at 50% more capacity than allowed. The train driver's account of the incident will be crucial for investigators.
Indore-Patna derailment: Panel to probe sobriety of drivers
As the death toll from the Indore-Patna Express mishap reached 150, the probe panel has begun its investigations into the cause of the crash. Sources said that the panel would be looking to establish if the two train drivers, Janak Sharma and Pramesh Purohit were inebriated at the time of the crash. Reportedly, this accident is the biggest rail-disaster in India in 17 years.
CBI to probe Uttar Pradesh track damage
The 28th December 2016 train accident which took place on the busy Delhi-Howrah route has made railway officials suspicious. On 1st Jan, 2016, a day before PM's Lucknow rally, missing fish plates and elastic rail clips were detected on railway tracks near Kanpur. These two incidents have prompted the railways to seek the CBI's help into probing what looks like a suspected sabotage bid.
Pakistan's ISI responsible for railway accidents
Two major railway accidents near Kanpur resulting in the death of 151 people and injuring 200 others were according to the Bihar Police, carried out on Pakistan's spy agency ISI's orders. 3 criminals were arrested in relation to this and one confessed to planting explosives to derail the Indo-Patna Express and Ajmer-Sealdah Express trains. The investigation is being followed closely by the NIA.
Cong slams PM over remarks on Kanpur train accident
Congress slammed PM Narendra Modi over his comments on the Kanpur train accident, after he said in a Gonda rally that "conspirators carried it out sitting across the border (Nepal)". "If it is the ISI, why was it invited to Pathankot?" asked Tom Vadakkan. Spokesperson Shobha Oza criticized him for discussing it publicly. The NIA earlier confirmed an alleged ISI agent was the "mastermind".
