SHILLONG:
An incident unfolded on the night of October 11 as six coaches of the Delhi-Kamakhya North East Express derailed near Bihar’s Raghunathpur station in Buxar district. At least four lives were lost, and several others suffered injuries in this event.
The 12506 North East Express, comprising 23 coaches, had commenced its journey from Delhi’s Anand Vihar terminal at 7:40 am earlier that day, heading towards Kamakhya, which is situated approximately six kilometres from Guwahati.
The Railway Ministry reported that the derailment of the Anand Vihar-Kamakhya Northeast Express took place at 9:53 pm within the precincts of the Raghunathpur Railway station in Bihar.
Prompt response and efforts from authorities and locals were witnessed in the aftermath of the incident, as injured individuals were swiftly transported to nearby hospitals, with those suffering from severe injuries receiving treatment at AIIMS, Patna.
Videos from the scene depicted the actions of local residents and law enforcement personnel as they rushed to assist the train passengers. Several coaches were visibly overturned in the footage, and a collaborative rescue operation was undertaken.
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Meanwhile, recognising the urgent need to aid its citizens during this time, the state government has activated a dedicated helpline at 1800-345-3644. This helpline, administered by the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), is now operational to connect with residents who may require assistance related to the train derailment incident.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma in a tweet stated, “Spoke to Sh @AshwiniVaishnaw ji on the #NorthEastExpress train derailment at #Buxar. He informed that all injured passengers are being taken to hospitals, and train services to ferry passengers for their onward journey have commenced. Our State officials are in touch to ensure that residents from Meghalaya are being provided assistance.”
In addition to the helpline, the Meghalaya government has designated specific contact points for its residents facing emergencies or requiring immediate assistance:
- K Thabah, Meghalaya House Guwahati – 7896167945
- I Kharmon, District Transport Officer, Ri-Bhoi District – 887003923
- Richie Momin – 9615208771
- Hubert Nongbri – 7005627065