Suresh Prabhu offers to quit, takes full responsibility for train mishaps

New Delhi: Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu on Wednesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and offered to resign taking full moral responsibility for the recent train accidents.

"I am extremely pained by the unfortunate accidents, injuries to passengers and loss of precious lives. It has caused me deep anguish," Suresh Prabhu tweeted.

He also said that he had devoted his blood and sweat for the betterment of the Railways in three years of his tenure as the minister.

He said, under the leadership of PM Modi he tried to overcome decades of neglect through systemic reforms in all areas leading to unprecedented investment and milestones.

The minister also stressed upon Modi's New India vision and said that the nation deserves a Railways which is efficient and modern, and promised that such a vision is in the making.

The railways minister's comments come hours after Delhi-bound Kaifiyat Express got derailed in Uttar Pradesh's Auraiya district in the wee hours of Wednesday.

Atleast 50 people were injured in the incident as nine coaches of the Kaifiyat Express got derailed after colliding with a dumper at around 2:50 am between Pata and Achalda railway stations.

On August 19, 23 people were killed and 156 injured after fourteen coaches of Utkal Express got derailed near Muzzafarnagar in western Uttar Pradesh.

The Congress had on Tuesday demanded Prabhu’s resignation, taking moral responsibility for the Utkal Express derailment in Muzaffarnagar.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari had said Prabhu should introspect and reflect on what has happened and sending some officials on leave "mocks" the unfortunate deaths.

"The Congress demands that Suresh Prabhu, Railways Minister, should immediately resign from his position," he told reporters.

According to official figures, 586 train accidents occured in the last five years, of which nearly 53 per cent were due to derailments.