Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal Governor express grief over train mishap

Kolkata: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee and governor Keshari Nath Tripathi on Sunday expressed grief over Kanpur train accident which killed over 100 passengers. “Saddened at the news of train accident. Thoughts and prayers with those families who lost their loved ones,” Ms Banerjee, who is a former Railway Minister, said in a message. “May the injured recover well,” she added in the message.

More than 100 people were killed and over 200 were injured in a derailment and pile up of coaches of Indore-Patna Express near Pukhraya in Kanpur dehat district in the wee hours Sunday. Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi also expressed grief over the loss of lives in the derailment. “It is a very very sad incident. My heart goes out to the family of the deceased persons,” Mr Tripathi said on the sidelines after delivering Dr Rajendra Prasad Memorial Lecture on Sunday afternoon.

Leaders of political parties in West Bengal also expressed their grief and demanded compensations for the injured and families of the deceased.

“Deeply pained hearing about the derailment of the Patna Indore Express which claimed many lives. Sincere condolences. Wishing speedy recovery of the injured,” tweet CPI(M)’s Rajya Sabha MP Ritabrata Banerjee.

The accident was the worst since 2010 when a passenger train crashed into a freight train in West Bengal, killing 146 and injuring over 200. Authorities have launched an official investigation into the accident, which junior railways minister Manoj Sinha said may have been caused by damage to the tracks.