22 people killed, 26 injured in train accident near Mathura
merisarkar news service
New Delhi, October 21, 2009
In a pre dawn rail accident in Uttar Pradesh, twenty-two people were killed and twenty six injured when Goa Express train collided from rear with Mewar Express. The Mewar Express was standing at outer sections of Mathura station some 100 kilometers from national capital Delhi.
The railway ministry confirmed in a statement that 22 people are dead and 26 passengers are injured some of them grievously. 5 seriously injured people were brought to Delhi for treatment.
A senior railway official informed, "Train no. 2779 Goa Express (from Vasco Da Gama to Nizamuddin) collided with Mewar Express (Train no. 2964, from Udaipur to Nizamuddin) at 4.55 am on Wednesday morning."
The officer said, "As a result of this accident the rear most luggage-cum-passenger-cum-guard coach (SLR) of Mewar Express was badly damaged."
The Guard of Mewar Express was among those killed in the accident. Two workers of Goa Express' Pantry car also died in the accident.
Massive relief and rescue operation got underway at the accident site with the break of dawn. Accident relief train with machines, cranes, equipment and workers and the medical relief train were rushed to the site from the nearest stations. Some of the trains were also diverted on the route.
Railway minister Mamta Banerjee has announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs. Five lakh each to the kith and kins of those who died in the accident. The minister also announced Rs. One lakh each to the grievously injured passengers.
She also ordered a high-level enquiry into the accident and commissioner railway safety PK Vajpayee of north east circle, Lucknow will start the enquiry from Thursday.
