Sainthia (West Bengal): At least 49 passengers were killed and over 150 injured when the speeding Sealdah-bound Uttarbanga Express rammed into the rear of the Vanachal Express pulling out of the Sainthia station in Birbhum district early today.
Eastern Railway sources in Kolkata said that 49 passengers of the Vanachal Express were killed when the Uttarbanga Express, which was running at a high speed overshot the signal and ploughed into it.
Among the dead were 39 men, eight women and two babies, the sources said.
Officials feared that the toll could rise as three coaches, two unreserved and a luggage van, of the Vananchal Express, which was running five hours late, were smashed with some of the coaches mounting a foot overbridge. GRP sources said that 150 passengers were injured.
Superintendent of Police Humayun Kabir, however, said that 130 passengers were injured.
The accident occurred at 1:54 am when the New Coochbehar-Sealdah Uttarbanga Express came on the same track and rammed into the Bhagalpur-Ranchi Vananchal Express which was leaving platform number four at Sainthia station, 191 km from Kolkata, Eastern Railway sources said.
The engine of the Uttarbanga Express, which was to stop at the station, telescoped into the rear of the Vananchal Express.
Engine driver MC Dey and assistant driver NK Mandal of the Uttarbanga Express besides the guard of the Vananchal Express A Mukherjee were killed, the sources said. Dey was found dead in his seat. The engine was switched off after an hour by railwaymen. Railway minister Mamata Banerjee, chairman of Railway Board Vivek Sahay, Railway Board member (Electrical) Sudesh Kumar and director general of Railway Health Service BK Ramteke, Eastern Railway general manager VN Tripathy and other senior officials have left for Sainthia. Relief trains from Rampurhat, Asansol and Burdwan have left for the accident spot.
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