2 dead, 15 injured in stampede at Santragachi station

Two persons died and 15 others, including two women, were injured in a stampede on Tuesday evening on a foot overbridge at Santragachi railway station in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said.

Banerjee, who rushed to the station from a Durga puja immersion carnival, blamed negligence and callousness on the part of the railways for the incident.

"Two persons have died in a stampede at Santragachi this evening," she said.

The two deceased have been identified as Kamlakant Singh (32) and Taser Sardar (61). While 12 injured were admitted to a hospital, three persons were administered first aid at the station, South Eastern Railway spokesman Sanjay Ghosh said.

Banerjee announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of each of the dead persons and Rs 1 lakh each to the injured from the state government.

The Railways also announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of those who died, Rs 1 lakh to each of the grievously injured and Rs 50,000 for persons who sustained minor injury.

Ghosh said that "medical expenses for the injured will be borne by the Railways."
In a Tweet, Banerjee said, "Another unfortunate incident on railways today. Sadly, too many such tragedies are happening like this even during festive season, including Amritsar."
Referring to the Amritsar incident, where a speeding train had ran through a crowd of Dussehra revellers killing 59 of them, said "the Railways must be more careful and cannot shirk its responsibility."