Kanpur tragedy: Prabhu assures action against guilty

Union Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu on Monday said that the government has ordered an inquiry into the Kanpur train tragedy and added that a forensic investigation is required to look into every possible angle.

"Inquiry by the Commission of Railway Safety into the accident has been ordered to determine the correct cause of accident. There shall be a separate comprehensive forensic investigation by an appropriate agency to look into every possible angle," Prabhu said in the Lok Sabha.

He added that adequate help and assistance is being provided to the passengers and appropriate action would be taken against the guilty.

At least 133 passengers were killed while more than 180 persons were injured, out of which nearly 50 are reported to be grievously wounded, in the worst train accident in recent years when 14 coaches of the Indore-Patna Express derailed near Pukhrayan of Kanpur Dehat district in Uttar Pradesh yesterday due to suspected rail fracture.

Most of the affected passengers of the Indore-Patna Express belong to Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.

The NDRF, police force and civil administration were engaged in relief work on war footing. The Indian Army is also assisting in rescue and other relief works.