Thirteen people have been killed as the Goa Express rammed a stationary Mewar Express near Mathura on Wednesday morning. 22 passengers have been injured. Three critically injured passengers have been shifted to Delhi.
The accident took place at around 4 a.m. between Mathura and Vrindavan stations. The impact caused two coaches to jump the tracks. One of them was badly damaged.
About 40 to 50 people were trapped inside the crushed, unreserved bogey of the Mewar Express. Gas cutters were used to cut through the damaged bogey. The rescue operation is now over and all the trapped passengers have been pulled out. The Mewar Express has now reached Delhi.
Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has ordered a high-level inquiry into the accident.
Railway officials say the driver of the Goa Express was either over-speeding or may have jumped the signal and hit the Mewar Express from behind.
Compensation of Rs 5 lakh has been announced for families of the dead;
Rs 1 lakh to seriously injured and Rs 10,000 to those with minor
injuries.
The Army was brought in for rescue operations. Medical teams were also dispatched to the mishap site.
Senior police and district official reached the spot.
Helplines have been set up in all major neighbouring cities.
Northern Railway has cancelled the Agra Nizamuddin inter-city express and diverted a few other trains which included the Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express for Mumbai, Andhra Pradesh Express and Karnataka Express. They are being diverted via Tundla.
