The toll in the head-on collision between the 9112 Jammu-Ahmedabad Express and Jalandhar-Pathankot DMU passenger train has gone up to 38.
Twenty-seven bodies were recovered at the accident site in Mansar village while the remaining succumbed to injuries in hospitals in nearby Mukerian and Dasua towns where the 150 injured were taken. Some were discharged but 41 injured are being treated in various hospitals in Pathankot, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Mukerian and Dasua.
The maximum damage occurred in three bogies of the DMU. Most of the deceased were from the DMU.
The accident occurred when both trains came face-to-face on the same track. It is being determined how this was allowed to happen.
Meanwhile, the Railway Protection Force has registered a case against the station masters of Mirthal and Bhagala railway stations. It has been registered (FIR no 144) under sections 337, 338, 304, 427 of the Indian Penal Code and section 175 of the Railway Protection Act, Assistant Inspector General (Railways, Patiala range) H S Bhullar told rediff.com at Mansar. Both the station masters, B K Malviya (Mirthal) and Ram Lal (Bhagala), are absconding.
External Link: Reservation chart for Train No 9112
About 200 railway employees worked non-stop for 13 hours to repair the track between Mirthal and Bhangala. It was cleared for rail traffic at 0100 IST on Wednesday, Pradeep Kumar (Railway Inspector, Pathankot range) told rediff.com.
Also see:
The Ghaisal train accident
Frontier Mail Tragedy
The Rajdhani Express Accident
External Link:
Major accidents since 80s