“Monitoring situation”: Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma on North-East Express train derailment

Shillong (Meghalaya) [India]: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Thursday said that the state government is monitoring the situation following the incident in which 21 coaches of the North-East Express train in Bihar’s Buxar district a day ago in which four people were killed and over 70 were injured.

Taking to X (former Twitter), Chief Minister Sangma tweeted, “We are in touch with railway authorities and have been monitoring the situation. Citizens of Meghalaya can reach out to State authorities for assistance.”

He also issued a public helpline number 18003453644.

The 12506b North-East Express going from Anand Vihar Terminal in New Delhi to Kamakhya near Guwahati in Assam when several of its coaches derailed at 9:35 PM near Raghunathpur station of the Danapur division of the East Central Railway.

Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said restoration work is underway at the spot of the incident.

“Rescue operation going on at war footing at Buxar derailment site. NDRF, SDRF, District administration, Railway officials, and local residents are all working as one team. Injured shifted to hospital. War room operating. Rescue operation will be completed soon. Will start restoration of the track immediately after that,” the minister tweeted.

The accident came just over four months after the horrific triple train tragedy in Odisha’s Balasore district in June that had claimed 296 lives.

On June 20, 2023, three trains–the Coromandel Express, a goods train, and the SMVT Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express–collided. 176 people sustained grievous injuries, 451 suffered simple injuries, and 180 received first aid treatment.