Seemanchal Express derailment: Nitish Kumar expresses grief, assures assistance

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed profound grief over the Seemanchal Express derailment incident in which 6 people died and several others were injured.

Kumar directed the administration to provide all kinds of assistance.

The tragic incident happened just two days after the central government claimed while presenting the Interim Budget that the year is the safest year in the history of Indian Railways.

A total of are affected due to derailment while 3 coaches have capsized.

Railway officials and Railway Board members are monitoring the rescue and relief operation and officials are on the way to the accident site with food and potable water.

Union Minister of Railways Piyush Goyal is in touch with the Railway Board Members and General Manager East Central Railways (ECR) regarding developments.

Indian Railways has issued helpline numbers at Patna-06122202290, 06122202291, 06122202292, 06122213234.

"Deputy Chief Commercial Manager is on the way to the accident site with food materials and drinking water," said a senior Railway official. Other teams have also moved with the food and water to the accident site.

Meanwhile, Railway plans to evacuate the stranded passenger at the accident site by a special train.

In the backdrop of the incident, routes of several trains were diverted while all passenger trains on the route were cancelled, including MEMU between Barauni to Patna, and a train running from Barauni to Patliputra.

As per information received from Sonpur Division, the train passed Mehnar Road at 3.52 am and derailed near Sahadai Buzurg at around 3:58 am.

Five coaches including three sleeper (S8, S9, S10), one general and one AC (B3) were among the derailed bogies.

Rescue and relief operations are currently underway.

Further details into the incident are awaited.