Goods train rams into Sealdah-bound Kanchanjunga Express in West Bengal

Several passengers were injured when a goods train rammed into the Kanchanjunga Express from behind in West Bengal's New Jalpaiguri on Monday morning.

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"Rear collision of Kanchanjunga Express has been reported near Jalpaiguri. The details of casualties and injuries are awaited," a senior railway official told Hindustan Times.

“Preliminary investigation says the goods train overshot the signal and hit the Kanchanjunga Express from behind,” another top railway official informed HT.

According to sources, at least two bogies of the passenger train derailed after the collision; the service, which runs between Sealdah in West Bengal and Assam's Silchar, was packed as the peak tourist season is going on, and thousands of thousands of tourists visit hill stations in north Bengal and the neighbouring Sikkim.

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Kanchanjunga Express was coming from Tripura's Agartala and was on its way to the Sealdah station in Kolkata when the goods train crashed into it at around 8 am.

In a social media post, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that rescue operations were underway at a ‘war footing.’

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“Unfortunate accident in NFR zone. Rescue operations going on at war footing. Railways, NDRF and SDRF are working in close coordination. Injured are being shifted to the hospital. Senior officials have reached site,” Vaishnaw posted on X (formerly Twitter).

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee also reacted to the accident.

“Shocked to learn, just now, about a tragic train accident in Phansidewa area of Darjeeling district. While details are awaited, Kanchenjunga Express has reportedly been hit by a goods train. DM, SP, doctors, ambulances and disaster teams have been rushed to the site for rescue,” Mamata Banerjee wrote on her X handle.