37 dead in Bihar Railway tragedy: Nitish

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37 pilgrims including women and children standing on rail tracks were killed when a speeding express train ploughed into them today in Bihar's Khagaria district, triggering angry protests by locals who attacked train drivers, set ablaze a coach and vandalised the station.

The 'kanwarias' or devotees of Lord Shiva were walking along the tracks at Dhamara Ghat station after alighting from the Samastipur-Saharsa passenger when the Saharsa-Patna Rajyarani Express travelling at 80 kmph, ran over them, a senior railway official said. Khagaria is about 160 km from Patna.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said that 37 persons, including women and children, were killed. Among them were 13 women, four children and 20 men. The victims hailed from Khagaria, Sahrsa, Munger and Naughachia. 24 others who sustained injuries were admitted to the hospital here.

Soon after the incident at 8.40 am, a violent mob assaulted the train driver, set on fire an AC compartment and engine of another train, vandalized the station and even held a few rail staff hostage.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Chief Minister appealed for calm.

Railway Board Chairman Arunendra Kumar said that the express was not supposed to halt at Dhamara Ghat and was given clearance to pass through, but the pilgrims on the tracks thought they could stop the train.

Though the driver applied the emergency brakes, it was too late by then, he said, adding an internal inquiry has been ordered into the accident.

The pilgrims were going to nearby Katyani Sthan temple to offer 'jalabhishek' to Lord Shiva on the fourth and final Monday of the holy month of Shrawan.

Superintendent of Police S K Jha told PTI over phone that the engine of the Samastipur-Saharsa passenger train and an AC coach of Saharsa-Patna Rajyarani Express were set on fire by enraged local people.

The two drivers of the express train, Rajaram Paswan and Sushil Kumar Suman, fled from the spot after being attacked. They later contacted railway officials to informing them that they were safe, ECR CPRO Amitabh Prabhakar said.