West Bengal: Goods Train That Hit Sealdah-Bound Kanchanjunga Express Overshot Signal

A goods train that collided with the Sealdah-bound Kanchanjunga Express near Rangapani station in West Bengal on Monday had overshot the signal, railway officials said. The container train overshot the signal and collided with the rear portion of the stationary Kanchanjunga train.

The accident, which occurred near Rangapani station close to New Jalpaiguri, resulted in at least eight fatalities and injuries to dozens of people. The loco pilot of the Kanchanjunga Express was among the dead. After being rear-ended by the goods train, the express train traveling from Silchar, Assam, to Sealdah, Kolkata, had two coaches derailed.

Rescue operations are underway at the spot, about seven km from North Bengal’s New Jalpaiguri station, and the injured persons were being shifted to nearby hospitals. “Five persons have died in the accident till now and around 30 people suffered injuries, which are not fatal,” a senior police officer said. The NDRF, divisional team, and 15 ambulances have arrived at the site.

Meanwhile, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on X that the rescue operations were going on at war footing. “Unfortunate accident in NFR zone. Rescue operations going on at war footing. Railways, NDRF and SDRF are working in close coordination. Injured are being shifted to the hospital. Senior officials have reached site,” he said.

Three rear compartments of the Kanchanjunga Express derailed under the impact of the collision by the locomotive of the goods train from behind, the police officer said. The divisional railway manager (DRM) of North Frontier Railway’s Katihar division said the 13174 Kanchanjunga Express was bound for Sealdah from Agartala when the accident occurred.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed concern over the Kanchenjunga Express accident, saying rescue work is underway on a war footing. “Shocked to learn, just now, about a tragic train accident, in Phansidewa area of Darjeeling district. While details are awaited, Kanchenjunga Express has reportedly been hit by a goods train. DM, SP, doctors, ambulances and disaster teams have been rushed to the site for rescue, recovery, and medical assistance. Action on war footing initiated,” the Bengal CM wrote on X.

On the Kanchenjunga Express accident, former Railways Minister Dinesh Trivedi said, “It is too early to talk about the cause of it but in modern times it required an inquiry and deep corrections. I am guessing that possibly this engine did not have ‘Kavach’ (an automatic train protection (ATP) system). I’ve no doubt that the government will take corrective action.”

(With agency inputs)