The Sainthia train collision occurred on 19 July 2010, at the
Sainthia Junction railway station
Sainthia Junction railway station is one of the oldest stations in India serves Sainthia city of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a "NSG-5" category railway station. The railway station is under the administrative c ...
in
Sainthia,
India, when the
Uttar Banga Express collided with the
Vananchal Express as it was leaving the platform. 66 people died as a result of the accident, and 165 people were reported injured.
[61 dead in India train crash]
/ref>
Collision
The collision occurred 191 km from Kolkata at (IST
Ist or IST may refer to:
Information Science and Technology
* Bachelor's or Master's degree in Information Science and Technology
* Graduate School / Faculty of Information Science and Technology, Hokkaido University, Japan
* Graduate School ...
) when the Uttar Banga Express, travelling from New Cooch Behar
New Coochbehar junction railway station is the main railway station in the district of Cooch Behar. It serves Cooch Behar city in Cooch Behar district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It lies under Alipurduar railway division.
It is a Jun ...
to Sealdah, hit the Bhagalpur – Ranchi
Ranchi (, ) is the capital of the Indian state of Jharkhand. Ranchi was the centre of the Jharkhand movement, which called for a separate state for the tribal regions of South Bihar, northern Odisha, western West Bengal and the eastern area ...
Vananchal Express which was just leaving Sainthia railway station. The impact destroyed the 3 rear compartments of the Vananchal Express.
Injured people were sent to hospitals in Sainthia and Suri.[Blame game still on over Sainthia train crash]
''IBN Live'', 2010
Investigation
Railway officials initially described how there may have been something wrong with the drivers of the Uttar Banga Express, detailing how the train had passed through a red signal at high speed, with no evidence of a brake application and with no apparent attempt by the driver or co-driver to jump clear of the train cab before the collision. Both were found dead in the wreckage, still in their seats.[Railways blame human error]
for mishap">human error">Railways blame human error
for mishap''Hindustan Times'', 2010 The possibility of the two drivers of Uttar Banga Express being drugged had triggered alarm in the railways.[Diversion system not activated Duo on duty ‘booked off’]
''The Telegraph'', 2010 However, the post mortem of the drivers at the Suri hospital did not show any evidence of drugs.[Train accident probe focuses on drivers]
''Asia News Network'', 2010 As a precaution, drivers and guards have been asked not to buy any food or drink at stations.[
Sainthia railway station was a scheduled stop for the express, but the train is believed to have passed over a bridge before the accident at three times the line speed.][Railway grapples with driver riddle]
''The Telegraph'', 2010 The crew had taken charge of the train at Malda Town 5 hours before the accident, and had appeared fit and well to station staff during a previous unscheduled stop at Gadadharpur, ahead of the accident site.[West Bengal train collision: A 9-min, 7-km mystery]
''Hindustan Times'', 2010
The signalman in-charge at the station claimed to have heard the station master trying to alert the driver of the Uttar Banga Express via walkie-talkie, but got no response.[Bengal train accident: 'Station master tried to alert driver']
''NDTV'', 2010
The enquiry has found no fault with the train's brakes[ although, the guard, when questioned said that he had applied the emergency brake after the driver did not respond to him on the walkie-talkie, but the brake failed.][Uttarbanga Express guard says emergency brake failed]
''Hindustan Times'', 2010 Also there was no signal failure, the approach signal was red.[ Probable causal factors found are the drugging of the drivers and not setting a diversion route when the Vananchal Express was standing at the platform.][ It was too late to operate points and divert the train when the Uttar Banga Express was seen.][
The driver of the Vananchal Express, said that "even though the green signal was given at 1.54am, we could start the train only at 2.01am because we had not received any signal from the guard".][
]
Compensation
Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced compensation of a total of ₹500,000 for the dead, ₹100,000 for the seriously injured, and ₹25,000 for minor injuries.Rs 5 lakh, job to kin of dead in accident: Mamata
''Times of India'', 19 July 2010
See also
* List of Indian rail incidents
References
External links
Photographs of the unidentified persons who died in the incident of collision of 3148 DN Uttar Banga Express & 3404 DN Vananchal Express on the night of 19 July 2010 at Sainthia Station
Reference: Sainthia GRPS Case No. 13/10 dated 19 July 2010 u/s 279/337/338/304A IPC.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sainthia Train Collision
Railway accidents and incidents in West Bengal
Railway accidents in 2010
2010 disasters in India
2010s in West Bengal
Train collisions in India