In Andhra Pradesh’s Vizianagaram district, a collision between two passenger trains resulted in the tragic death of at least 13 individuals, with 54 others sustaining injuries on Sunday evening. The Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger special (08504) crashed into the Visakhapatnam-Palasa passenger train (08532) at approximately 7:10 pm. Now Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy visits Vizianagaram government hospital and meets the patients injured in Vizianagaram train derailment accident.
Officials from the Indian Railways pointed to potential human error as the cause of the Rayagada-bound train possibly bypassing the signal. As the Vishakhapatnam-Palasa train waited on the track between Alamanda and Kantakpalli railway stations in the Kothavalasa block, the collision occurred, causing four carriages of the latter train to derail onto the adjacent track. Distressing videos circulating on social media depicted severely damaged coaches amid dark conditions.
According to the Vizianagaram district collector, 11 of the fatalities have been identified, including the locomotive pilot and assistant locomotive pilot of the Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger train. Presently, 32 individuals are receiving treatment at the Vizianagaram Government Hospital, with four reported to be in critical condition. Railways Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw confirmed the clearance of coaches, excluding those derailed, from the accident site. He also announced financial assistance for the victims’ families, with Rs. 10 lakh for the deceased, Rs. 2.5 lakh for the seriously injured, and Rs. 50,000 for those with minor injuries.
