Hirakhand Express tragedy: PM condoles train deaths, Rajnath talks to AP CM

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday condoled the loss of lives in the Hirakhand Express train derailment in Andhra Pradesh, calling the mishap “saddening”. He also wished for speedy recovery of all those injured. “My thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones due to derailment of Jagdalpur-Bhubaneswar Express. The tragedy is saddening,” he wrote in a tweet.

“I pray for a speedy recovery of all those injured due to the train accident,” another tweet by him read. He said the railway ministry was monitoring the situation closely. “The railway ministry is monitoring the situation very closely and is working to ensure quick rescue and relief operations,” he said.

Several passengers were killed and around 100 injured after nine coaches of the Jagdalpur-Bhubaneswar Express derailed in Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh.

Union home minister Rajnath Singh also spoke to Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and took stock of the situation. He also expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased.

During the telephonic conversation, the CM briefed the home minister of the steps taken for rescue and relief of the accident victims, a statement said. Mr Singh assured Mr Naidu all central help in rescue and relief efforts and said a team of the National Disaster Response Force has already reached the spot and is engaged in the rescue operations, it said. He said due care and diligence is being taken into consideration by NDRF teams as the victims might be trapped under the mangled bogies, the operation is still in progress.

Railway spokesperson Anil Saxena said there are indications of foul play as a goods train passed the same track just two hours before the mishap, which occurred in the Naxal-prone zone just ahead of the Republic Day. However, Odisha Police ruled out involvement of Naxals in the mishap. Odisha DGP K B Singh said “there is no indication of Maoist hand behind the derailment”.