Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and senior Congress leader, has sharply criticized the Indian Railways and the central government following the derailment of the Mysuru-Darbhanga Bagmati Express train.
In a post on X, Gandhi drew parallels between the recent accident and the devastating Balasore incident. He stated, “The Mysuru-Darbhanga train accident mirrors the horrific Balasore accident—a passenger train colliding with a stationary goods train. Despite many lives lost in numerous accidents, no lessons are learned. Accountability starts at the top. How many more families must be destroyed before this government wakes up?”
The Bagmati Express derailed at Kavaraipettai Railway Station in Tamil Nadu on Friday night, resulting in injuries to 19 passengers, four of whom are reported to be in serious condition. Southern Railway has initiated a high-level investigation into the incident.
Also Read: Bagmati Express Accident: Railways Minister Assures Arrangements, Probe
The train, which was traveling from Mysuru to Darbhanga, collided with a stationary goods train at approximately 8:30 PM. The collision caused 12 coaches to derail and ignited a fire in a parcel van, which was later extinguished by fire and rescue services.
Initial reports from railway sources indicated that the accident was due to a signal failure. The Mysuru-Darbhanga Express, traveling at 75 km/h, had received a green signal to pass through the main line but instead entered a loop line, colliding with the rear of the goods train.
According to a statement from Southern Railway, the train crew experienced a heavy jerk upon entering Kavaraipettai station. Officials confirmed that while the crew was unharmed, several passengers sustained injuries, all of whom were transported to nearby hospitals.
Tiruvallur district collector T. Prabushankar stated that 1,360 passengers were on board at the time of the collision, emphasizing that there were no fatalities. The accident disrupted train movement in the area, prompting alternative transportation arrangements for affected passengers.
