A tragic train collision occurred in India's West Bengal state on Monday, resulting in the loss of at least five lives and leaving several individuals injured. The incident took place when a cargo train collided with the Kanchanjunga Express in the Darjeeling district. Immediate rescue efforts were launched, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee confirming the deployment of medical teams, disaster-response units, and ambulances to the crash site.
As per reports from the scene, five individuals have been confirmed dead, while 25 others sustained injuries in the collision near the New Jalpaiguri station. Visuals broadcasted on television depicted the aftermath of the crash, showing one train compartment elevated in the air due to the impact. The area was crowded with onlookers as rescue teams worked diligently to search for survivors.
The exact cause of the collision remains unclear at this time. The Kanchanjunga Express, a popular daily train connecting West Bengal with northeastern cities, is frequently utilized by tourists visiting the hill station of Darjeeling, especially during the current hot weather season in other parts of India.
India's vast railway network sees over 12 million passengers traveling on 14,000 trains covering 64,000 kilometers of track each day. Despite ongoing safety initiatives by the government, the country continues to witness numerous rail accidents annually, often attributed to human error or outdated signaling systems.
Notably, last year, a devastating train crash in eastern India claimed the lives of more than 280 individuals, marking one of the deadliest rail disasters in the nation's recent history.
