Sainthia, July 19: Officials feared that the toll could rise as three coaches, two unreserved and a luggage van, of the Vananchal Express, which was running five hours late, were smashed with some of the coaches mounting a foot-over bridge
At least 49 people were killed and over 150 injured when a speeding Sealdah-bound Uttarbanga Express rammed into the Vanachal Express pulling out of the Sainthia station in Birbhum district early today.
Superintendent of Police Humayun Kabir, however, said that 130 passengers were injured.
Officials feared that the toll could rise as three coaches, two unreserved and a luggage van, of the Vananchal Express, which was running five hours late, were smashed with some of the coaches mounting a foot-over bridge.
GRP sources said that around 150 injured passengers were taken to the Suri and Sainthia hospitals. Among the dead were 39 men, eight women and two babies, the sources said.
The accident occurred at 1:54 am when the speeding New Coochbehar-Sealdah Uttarbanga Express overshot the signal and came on the same track and rammed into 3404 down Bhagalpur-Ranchi Vananchal Express which was leaving platform number four at Sainthia station, 191 km from Kolkata, Eastern Railway sources said.
The engine of the Uttarbanga Express, which was to stop at the station, telescoped into the rear of the Vananchal Express.
The engine driver M. C. Dey, assistant driver N. K. Mandal of the Uttarbanga Express and the guard of the Vananchal Express A. Mukherjee were killed, the sources said.
Mr. Dey was found dead in his seat. The engine was switched off after an hour by railwaymen.
———PTI