RAGHUNATHPUR, BIHAR, INDIA – Tragedy struck eastern India’s railways last night. The North-East Express, while on its voyage from New Delhi to Assam state, saw six of its 23 coaches tragically derail near the Raghunathpur railroad station in Buxar district. This unfortunate event led to four lives being lost, with 50 more passengers sustaining injuries.
Manish Kumar, a local police officer, painted a grim picture of the incident while confirming the toll. As the darkness of night enveloped the area, rescue operations became challenging. Despite this, medical brigades swiftly descended on the site, and local hospitals were primed to admit the injured.
One of the passengers aboard, railroad official D.K. Pathak, shed light on the incident, sharing that a majority of the injuries were from one of the derailed compartments. The immediate cause of this derailment remains under investigation.
While India prides itself on its extensive rail network, which serves over 12 million people daily, the safety of its passengers has often been a topic of concern. Previous incidents have pointed to both human error and antiquated equipment as culprits. The continuous effort to enhance the safety of its railroads is of paramount importance to prevent such tragedies in the future.