The death toll in a train accident in India’s West Bengal state has climbed to nine while 36 others are undergoing treatment in hospitals.
Six of the injured passengers are in a critical condition and have been shifted to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri, reports NDTV.
Twelve coaches of the Bikaner-Guwahati Express train derailed near the Maynaguri town of Jalpaiguri district on Thursday.
All survivors in the Express train travelling from Bikaner to Guwahati were brought out of the coaches by midnight, Guneet Kaur, chief public relations officer of the North East Frontier Railway, told NDTV.
She added that the coaches were being opened for restoration.
Meanwhile, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reached the spot Friday.
On Thursday, he spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and apprised him of the rescue operations.
The prime minister expressed his condolences to the affected families.
A high-level safety inquiry has been ordered to probe what led to the derailment.
The accident took place around 5:00pm. Visuals from the spot showed that a mangled coach climbed on another due to the impact and several compartments overturned.
Hundreds of people from nearby villages rushed to help the victims as teams of the National Disaster Response Force joined the rescue work later.
