Buxar Bihar: 4 Dead, 50 Injured in Delhi-Kamakhya North East Express Derailment

The tragic derailment of the Delhi-Kamakhya North East Express near Raghunathpur station in Buxar district, Bihar on Wednesday has left at least four passengers dead and 50 others injured. The accident occurred around 9:53 pm when six coaches jumped tracks with two AC III Tier coaches toppling over, as per television visuals.

Buxar Superintendent of Police Manish Kumar confirmed the fatalities, while a Railway Police Force official reported that at least 50 passengers were injured and have been shifted to local hospitals. A rescue operation is currently ongoing at the site of the accident involving NDRF, SDRF, District administration, Railway officials and local residents working collectively.

Rescue Operations

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw posted an update on X stating that rescue operations are being carried out at a war footing and will be completed soon. Following this, restoration work for the tracks will commence. Television visuals captured locals rushing towards the scene to assist in rescuing passengers from two toppled coaches. Several police officials were also seen helping evacuate passengers from the train.

Train Journey Details

The ill-fated train had embarked upon its nearly 33-hour journey from Anand Vihar terminal in Delhi to Kamakhya (about six kilometres away from Guwahati) on Wednesday morning at 7:40 am with 23 coaches aboard. The mishap took place less than half an hour after it left Buxar station en route Ara without any scheduled stoppage at Raghunathpur station where it derailed.

Relief Measures

In response to this tragedy, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav issued directives to departments of disaster management and health for immediate relief measures. He also instructed the district magistrates of Buxar and Bhojpur to expedite relief work at the site. Medical teams, ambulances, and a scratch rake (a temporary rake with a similar configuration as the original train) from Patna have been dispatched to assist in rescue operations.

Emergency Measures

Deepak Kumar, Inspector, Railway Police Force informed that local hospitals in Buxar town have been alerted by district administration. The railways has also issued emergency helpline numbers for passengers. War rooms have been set up for monitoring and early restoration of coaches whilst rescue operations are being carried out in full swing.

Impact on Train Services

The derailment has caused disruption in railway services with at least 18 trains operating on this route, including the Rajdhani Express between Delhi and Dibrugarh being diverted.

In conclusion, this tragic incident underscores the urgent need for rigorous safety measures and regular maintenance checks within India's vast railway network. As investigations continue into what led to this accident, it is imperative that lessons be learnt so as to prevent such incidents from recurring in future.