At least five individuals, including the goods train driver were killed and around 30 others were injured when the Kanchanjungha Express, which had departed from Agartala for Sealdah station in West Bengal, collided with a goods train near New Jalpaiguri on June 17 morning.
According to railway officials, the incident occurred around 9 am in the Phansidewa area of Darjeeling district when the Sealdah-bound Kanchanjungha Express (Train No. 13174) was hit by a goods-laden train. The collision caused three coaches of the passenger train to derail and sustain damage.
The Kanchanjungha Express had departed from Guwahati at 11 pm on June 16 and was en route to Sealdah when the accident took place.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took to X (formerly Twitter) to express her shock over the incident. She stated that she had just learned about the train accident in the Phansidewa area of Darjeeling district. While details were awaited, the Kanchenjunga Express had reportedly been hit by a goods train. Banerjee mentioned that the District Magistrate, Superintendent of Police, doctors, ambulances, and disaster teams had been rushed to the site for rescue, recovery, and medical assistance, and action on a war-footing had been initiated.
"10 buses of North Bengal Rashtriya Paribahan Nigam have left for the accident site to rescue stranded passengers of the Sealdah-bound Kanchenjunga Express. Also, additional bus services from Siliguri-Kolkata from Siliguri Tenzing Norgay bus terminus will be operational from this afternoon," Partha Pratim Roy, Chairman, North Bengal Rashtriya Paribahan Nigam informed.
The following helpline numbers have been released:
Helpline No. GHY Station
03612731621
03612731622
03612731623
LMG helpline no.
03674263958
03674263831
03674263120
03674263126
03674263858
Helpline numbers Katihar
9002041952
9771441956
Emergency NJP
+916287801758