17 killed, 115 injured in Sabarmati train accident Thursday, April 21 2005 18:29 Hrs (IST) - World Time -
Samalaya (Gujarat) :
At least 17 persons were killed and 115 others injured when the Ahmedabad-bound Sabarmati Express train rammed into a stationary goods train in Samalaya, about 30 kms from Vadodara in the wee hours today (Apr 21, 2005).
Seventeen bodies, including that of the driver Sita Ram and his assistant, were brought to SSG hospital, while the condition of 24 was serious, Mukesh Brahmabhat, a senior doctor of the hospital told PTI.
The dead included nine males, six females and one girl child, Brahmabhat said.
Inspector General of Police, Rakesh Asthana said the accident occurred at 3:30 AM and five coaches, including a general compartment and an air-conditioned bogie was affected.
The worst-affected were S-6 and S-7 coaches which were next to the engine.
Railway Minister Laloo Prasad, who rushed to the spot, said either signal failure or human error appeared to be the cause of the accident. He has also ordered an inquiry into the cause of mishap.
The Minister announced an ex-gratia of Rs One lakh to the next of kin of those killed and an assistance of Rs 15,000 to the injured.
Apart from the ex-gratia amount, Railways would also provide employment to a member of the family of each of the deceased, Laloo told reporters at Vadodara airport.
The mishap was so devastating that the coaches were mangled, and the engine and two other coaches were virtually on top of the goods train it rammed into.
Rescue teams had to use gas cutters to cut open the mangled S-6 and S-7 coaches before they could rescue trapped passengers.
Senior Railway officials inspecting the accident site said that the number of casualties were less because the engine had taken the maximum brunt of the impact and had been tossed on top of the goods train bogey.
In all, seven coaches have been damaged due to the mishap including three bogeys of the good train, officials said.
Some of the coaches were new and thus they could take the impact, the officials said.
Western Railway general manager M Z Ansari said: prima facie it appears that the guard on duty had tampered with the point (lever used to divert the train). There was no need for him to do so. An inquiry has been set up to look in the matter."
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