At least nine people have reportedly lost their lives after as many as 12 coaches of the Bikaner-Guwahati train derailed in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district.
Over 50 people have also sustained minor to major injuries in the accident.
10 of the injured people are stated to be in a critical condition.
While, some of the injured people are being treated at Jalpaiguri district hospital, the rest are being admitted to the Moynaguri government hospital.
The critically injured passengers are being shifted to the North Bengal Medical College in Siliguri.
The rescue operations are underway as many passengers are feared still trapped inside the derailed coaches.
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Meanwhile, railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw met the injured persons at the district hospital in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal.
The government has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the kin of the deceased, Rs 1 lakh for those who received grievous injuries and Rs 25,000 for those who sustained minor injuries.
The train had started its journey from Bikaner in Rajasthan and was heading to Guwahati in Assam when the accident took place in Jalpaiguri on Thursday evening.
Preliminary inquiry into the Bikaner-Guwahati train mishap showed there was a glitch in locomotive equipment, Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Friday.