The death toll in the derailment of a passenger train in Maharashtra's Raigad district rose to 22 today as Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge said a probe was on into the mishap and those found guilty will be punished.
"Twenty two people have died in this incident and 60 people have suffered either simple or grievous injuries", he said told reporters this evening after visiting the city's Sion Hospital where some of the injured have been admitted.
Railway authorities had earlier put the number of injured at 123 while three more passengers succumbed to injuries today, taking the toll to 22.
Stating that Railways has already set up an inquiry committee under the Commissioner (Safety) to find out the cause of yesterday's accident, Kharge said "the committee has been asked to submit a report in a month."
Whoever is found guilty for the train disaster will face action, the Minister said without going into reasons for the mishap on the Konkan Railway route.
Railways will bear the hospital expenses of all the injured persons, the Minister said.
Railways has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of those killed, Rs 50,000 for grievously hurt and Rs 10,000 for passengers who suffered minor injuries.
Nineteen people were killed when the engine and four bogies of the crowded Diwa-Sawantwadi passenger jumped the tracks between Nagothane and Roha stations, about 120km from Mumbai, on Sunday morning.
Earlier, Kharge, along with Railway Board Chairman Arunendra Kumar, Central Railway General Manager Sunil Kumar Sood and other officials, visited the accident spot and the hospital at Roha town in adjoining Raigad district where other injured are undergoing treatment.
Meanwhile, traffic was restored completely by 4.30 hrs this morning on Konkan railway route. "The traffic has resumed and all trains are running on time except for those which were diverted after the accident," KRCL Public Relations Manager Baban Ghatge told PTI.
Five trains were cancelled yesterday. Some others were diverted via Panvel-Lonavla-Pune-Miraj-Londa-Madgaon sections. A goods train derailed on the same route last month.
