Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy this evening on telephone and enquired about the rail accident in Nellore which claimed 32 lives. The Prime Minister expressed shock and anguish over the ghastly train accident which occurred this morning. He extended sympathies to the bereaved families, an official release here said. The Chief Minister briefed the Prime Minister about the accident and said that he had personally visited the accident site. Immediately on receiving the information, the Nellore Collector, Police Superintendent, Officials of Fire and Emergency Services and medical Department were asked to rush immediately to the site and take all rescue and relief operations on a war-footing in co-ordination with the Railway Officials, the Chief Minister said. The Chief Minister also said that the Chief Secretary, Minnie Mathew has been asked to closely monitor the relief operations on a minute-to-minute basis. Additional medical teams and specialist doctors have been pressed into service. The injured have been rushed to nearby hospitals and extended the best medical treatment immediately, the Chief Minister added. UNI
