Two killed in Bengal train accident

Two persons were killed and six injured when the engine and two coaches of the Guwahati-bound Capital Express derailed in West Bengal on Tuesday night, an official said on Wednesday.

The engine, an SLR coach and a second class coach derailed near Samuktala Road station in Alipurduar district, near the West Bengal-Assam border, at around 9.15 p.m on Tuesday, the NorthEast Frontier Railway said.

The train had originated from Rajendra Nagar in Patna.

"The deceased have not been identified," a railway spokesman told IANS over telephone. The six injured were given ex-gratia of Rs 5,000.

The prima facie cause of the accident was overshooting of signal by the driver, the statement said.

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has ordered a "thorough inquiry" to fix responsibility, it said.

About 150 of the stranded passengers were taken back to Alipurduar by the Kamakhya-Alipurduar Intercity Express.

"Preliminary investigation shows the red signal was overlooked by the driver," a railway official said.

Several trains have been cancelled after the accident.

--IANS

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