Derailment: Nitish condoles deaths; announces Rs 2 lakh each

Nitish Kumar described the derailment of the train in Kanpur rural area as sad and expressed deep grief over the tragedy.

Patna: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday expressed his condolence over loss of lives in the derailment of Indore-Patna Express as he announced Rs 2 lakh as ex-gratia to the kin of each deceased hailing from Bihar and cancelled releasing a report card of his government on completion of one year in office.

In his condolence message, Kumar described the derailment of the train in Kanpur rural area as sad and expressed deep grief over the tragedy - the worst train accident in recent years that claimed over 100 lives and injured over 200 others.

The Chief Minister also ordered cancellation of a function to release the annual report card of his government on completion of one year in office and announced compensation to the families of the deceased and those seriously injured.

"The next of the kin of those people of Bihar who were killed in the Indore-Patna Express accident will be given Rs 2 lakh as ex-gratia while Rs 50,000 would be given to the seriously injured passengers in the accident," Kumar said in a release.

The ex-gratia payment would be made from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, the release said.

Patna District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar Agarwal told reporters here that a helpline has been opened for the people.

"Besides, we have also made arrangements for the treatment of the injured people in the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) and the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) in Patna," he said.

Ambulances have been stationed at the junction so that the injured persons, who are coming to Patna by a special train from Kanpur, could be taken to the two hospitals straight away, Agarwal said.

Out of 64 injured persons being treated at Kanpur, 17 are from Bihar, he said.

Agarwal along with Bihar State Disaster Management Authority Vice-Chairman Vyasji, Additional Superintendent of Police (Railway) A S Thakur and East Central Railway (ECR) Chief Operations Manager Vasudev Rai are camping at the Patna junction.