Siliguri: President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the deaths in the Kanchanjungha Express accident in West Bengal’s Siliguri on Monday.
Smt Murmu, in an X post, also expressed her pain over the accident in West Bengal. She wrote, “The news of the loss of lives due to a train accident in Darjeeling, West Bengal is deeply distressing. My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured and the success of relief and rescue operations.”
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The news of the loss of lives due to a train accident in Darjeeling, West Bengal is deeply distressing. My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured and success of relief and rescue operations.
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) June 17, 2024
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“The railway accident in West Bengal is saddening. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. Spoke to officials and took stock of the situation. Rescue operations are underway to assist the affected. The Railways Minister Shri @AshwiniVaishnaw Ji is on the way to the site of the mishap as well,” the PM posted on X.
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The railway accident in West Bengal is saddening. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. Spoke to officials and took stock of the situation. Rescue operations are underway to assist the affected. The Railways Minister Shri…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 17, 2024
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The PM also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF (Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund).
“PM @narendramodi has announced that an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased in the railway mishap in West Bengal. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000,” the PMO posted on X.
The Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in a post on X: “Unfortunate accident in NFR zone. Rescue operations going on at war footing. Railways, NDRF and SDRF are working in close coordination. The injured are being shifted to the hospital. Senior officials have reached the site.”
The divisional railway manager (DRM) of North Frontier Railway’s Katihar division said the 13174 Kanchanjunga Express was bound for Sealdah from Agartala and the accident occurred around 9 am. One of the compartments of the express train got detached following the collision and settled above the locomotive of the goods train, he said.
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Sri Vaishnaw has enhanced the ex-gratia compensation to Rs 10 lakh in case of death and Rs 2.5 Lakh towards grievous and Rs 50,000 for minor injuries in the mishap.
Enhanced ex-gratia compensation will be provided to the victims;
₹10 Lakh in case of death,
₹2.5 Lakh towards grievous and ₹50,000 for minor injuries.— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) June 17, 2024
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