At least four people died and 25 were injured after eight coaches of Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express derailed while en route to Dibrugarh, near Uttar Pradesh's Gonda between Motiganj and Jhilahi railway stations at 2:35 pm.
The cause of the accident has not been ascertained yet. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the district administration to provide all the necessary rescue and relief work.
A 40-member team and 15 ambulances have been dispatched to deal with the medical emergency. Three SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) and two NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) teams have also been dispatched.
The Relief Commissioner's office sent one NDRF team each from Lucknow and Balrampur to Gonda.
"All available ambulances have reached here and locals have supported us in the rescue operation," Gonda DM Neha Sharma said.
Several trains have been diverted on the route after the accident, including the Amrapali Express, the Guwahati-Jammu Tawi Amarnath Express, the Gorakhdham Superfast Express, and the Vaishali Superfast Express.
UP deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya expressed condolences on the deaths. "Received the sad news about people's deaths in the accident in Gonda district due to derailment of some coaches of Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express. I pray to God to provide speedy recovery to the injured in the accident and give place to the departed souls in his lotus feet. The state government has directed the district administrative officers to carry out rescue and relief work at a fast pace. Om Shanti," he wrote on X.
Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said his government was in touch with the authorities concerned.
"HCM Dr @himantabiswa has been briefed about the derailment of Dibrugarh - Chandigarh express in Uttar Pradesh," the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said on X.
"HCM is monitoring the situation and the Government of Assam is in touch with relevant authorities," it added.
The Railway Board has issued the following helpline numbers - Commercial Control: 9957555984, Furkating (FKG): 9957555966, Mariani (MXN): 6001882410, Simalguri (SLGR): 8789543798, Tinsukia (NTSK): 9957555959, Dibrugarh (DBRG): 9957555960.
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