Five people died and nearly 25 others were injured after a Kanchanjunga Express met with an accident in Bengal’s Siliguru on Monday. The train was en route to the Sealdah station in Kolkata when it derailed after a goods train hit it from behind in Siliguri’s Rangapani region, nearly seven kilometres from North Bengal’s New Jalpaiguri station.
At least two compartments of the Kanchanjunga Express derailed as a result of the collision. The 13174 Kanchanjunga Express was bound for Sealdah from Agartala when the accident occurred around 9 am, divisional railway manager (DRM) of North Frontier Railway’s Katihar division, told news agency PTI.
Abhishek Roy, Additional Superintendent of Police of Darjeeling, termed the situation “serious”.
“Five passengers have died, 20-25 injured in the accident. The situation is serious. The incident occurred when a goods train rammed Kanchenjunga Express,” he said.
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed concern over the accident, saying the district magistrate, doctors and ambulances have been rushed to the spot.
