Tundla (UP): At least three persons were
killed and 17 others injured when the Kanpur-bound Kalindi
Express rammed into the stationary Shram Shakti Express near
here early Saturday amid poor visibility, the fourth fog-related
train mishap in the last fortnight.
The Bhiwani-Kanpur Central Kalindi Express hit the
stationary train from behind near Mitawali-Tundla crossing at
around 8.10 am, Railway officials said. Tundla is 409 kms from
Allahabad.
The guard van and a coach of Shram Shakti Express,
going from Delhi to Kanpur, were badly damaged and derailed.
"Three persons have been killed and 17 others injured,"
North-Central Railway spokesperson RD Vajpai said. The dead
included two women and a three-year-old child. Among the
injured were two drivers of the Kalindi Express.
Cracking the whip, Railways suspended Divisional Railway
Manager (Allahabad) SK Agarwal, senior Divisional Mechanical
Engineer Vinit Singh and two drivers of Kalindi Express -- Ram
Prakash and Satpal Singh Yadav were suspended.
With dense fog continuing be a cause of concern, Railways
issued revised guidelines under which trains have to halt for
five minutes instead of two minutes at the red signal.
The Railway Ministry ordered an inquiry by Commissioner,
Railway Safety, PK Vajpayee into the accident.
An ex-gratia amount of Rs 5 lakh was announced for
the next of kin of the dead, Rs 1 lakh to those seriously
injured and Rs 10,000 to those with simple injuries, Railway
Ministry spokesperson Anil Kumar Saxena said in Delhi.
The dead were identified as Rama Devi and three-year-old
Mohit from Kanpur. The third victim has not yet been
identified.
Earlier on January 2, ten people were killed and 45
injured in three train accidents in Uttar Pradesh amid dense
fog and near zero visibility conditions.
13 trains including Lucknow-bound Shatabdi Express,
Kalka-Howrah Kalka Mail, and North-East Express were diverted.
On January 2, eight women and two men were among those
killed when the Bhiwani-Gorakhpur Gorakhdham Express rammed
into stationary Prayagraj Express at Panki railway station in
Kanpur district in heavy fog.
On the same day, the Delhi-Sitamarhi Licchavi Express hit
the stationary Magadh Express near Etawah, injuring the
driver, while in Pratapgarh, the Sarayu Express rammed into a
tractor-trolley at an unmanned railway crossing.
PTI
