Gorakhdham mishap toll climbs to 22, Modi announces relief

With the recovery of eight more bodies, the death toll in the Delhi-Gorakhpur train accident has climbed to 22 on Tuesday. "Eight more bodies have been recovered by the rescue teams since Monday night and 103 others have been injured," District Magistrate Bharat Lal said.

Gas cutters are being used to cut bogies and efforts are on to clear the track, he said. The Gorakhpur-bound Gorakhdham Express on Monday derailed and rammed into a stationary freight train near a railway station. Six bogies of the train were damaged in the accident which occurred at around 10.35 am near Churaib Railway Station.

Preliminary reports had said that fractured rails could have led to the accident. The Uttar Pradesh home department had on Monday said that 40 people are feared killed in the accident.

Meanwhile, in his first decision after taking over, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a relief of Rs two lakh each to the kin of those killed and Rs 50,000 for those seriously injured in the accident.

He directed the railway ministry to ensure that relief operations were carried out smoothly and that all those injured in the mishap were provided the best possible medical care.

The prime minster sanctioned an ex-gratia payment of Rs two lakh each to the next of kin the deceased from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund and Rs 50,000 each for those seriously injured in the accident, a Prime Minister’s Office statement said.