In the wake of the Uttar Pradesh train derailment tragedy, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday cancelled a function to release a report card of his government on completion of one year in office and expressed grief over the mishap that claimed 96 lives and left 226 injured.
In his condolence message, Kumar described the mishap of the Indore-Patna express as sad and expressed deep grief over the casaulties, praying to the almighty to provide strength to families of the bereaved to cope with the tragedy.
The CM ordered cancellation of the state function to release the annual report card of his government marking completion of one year in office.
“CM has cancelled the function to release report card of the government on Sunday on completion of one year in office,” a statement from Information and Public Relations Department said.
All preparations had been made for the function and several officials and journalists had also arrived at the venue, but had to return the cancellation.
The mishap took place in Kanpur Dehat district in the wee hours on Sunday. On assuming office in 2005, Kumar had started a practice of giving an account of developmental work of his government every year in the shape of an annual report card.
Sunday was the date of issuance of the first report card of grand secular alliance government comprising JD(U), RJD and Congress in Bihar headed by Kumar.
On the instructions of the CM, a three-member team of senior Bihar officials including Principal Secretary Disaster Management Pratyay Amrit, Special Secretary in Home Jitendra Kumar Gangwar and Inspector General of Police, Railway Amit Kumar rushed to the accident site in a special plane to monitor rescue work.
“We will see that victims and their kins get maximum convenience,” Pratyay Amrit told media before boarding the plane at Patna Airport.
The government has set up a state-level control room (no 0612-2217305/2217306) to help bereaved families and kins of the injured in the derailment.
Four coaches of the train – S1, S2, S3, S4- were badly damaged in the mishap that took place at around 3 AM near Pukhraya. Most of the passengers were jolted out of their sleep to find themselves among mangled remains of the bogies.
PTI