The North East Express train, en route from Anand Vihar Terminus in Delhi to Kamakhya near Guwahati, derailed near Raghunathpur station, close to Buxar, Bihar, around 9:35 pm, on Wednesday. The derailment led to the loss of at least four lives and left approximately 100 individuals injured.
According to railway officials, the mishap occurred when the train, identified as “Train number 12506,” was traversing the main line of Raghunathpur station, causing six coaches to derail. Immediate rescue efforts were initiated by the district administration and local residents, with injured passengers being promptly transported to nearby medical facilities. Those with critical injuries were referred to AIIMS Patna for specialized care.
The General Manager of East Central Railways, Tarun Prakash, confirmed the casualties, revealing that a total of 21 coaches had derailed. This incident has disrupted train services on both the up and down tracks, necessitating the diversion of numerous passenger and freight trains. Senior railway officials are currently at the accident site, diligently investigating the cause of the derailment and orchestrating the intricate task of returning the derailed coaches to the tracks.
CPRO of East Central Railway, Birendra Kumar, emphasised that this process might be time-consuming due to the complexities of removing the bogies. The extent of the financial loss incurred remains to be assessed by the Railways, with the immediate focus being on restoring train movement in both directions.
Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey, informed that national and state disaster response teams have reached the site to provide assistance and support. He also mentioned that injured individuals will receive medical care at AIIMS Patna.
