Thaindian News

Kolkata, Aug 1 (IANS) The toll in the Guwahati-Bangalore Express derailement in West Bengal’s Malda rose to two Monday with discovery of the body of a youth from the debris while the rail link between West Bengal’s northern and southern parts was partially restored Monday afternoon.

Officials also began a probe into the derailment that left 35 others injured Sunday evening.

“Around 4.50 p.m., train movement was started after railwaymen worked at a frenetic pace to repair the up line and clear the debris between Gour Malda and Jamirghata stations where the accident had occurred,” said an Eastern Railway official.

The down line was expected to be operational by Monday night. However, the train scheduled continued to be affected as a fall out of the accident. Up Sealdah-New Jalapiguri Express, and the Up Sealdah-Saharsa Hatey Bazare Express and Up Howrah-Mada Town passenger were cancelled.

The body of the youth was found from under the debris of the locomotive of the Azimganj-Malda passenger which had brushed against the derailed coaches of the Bangalore-bound Express, police said.

The Eastern Railway claimed 26 persons were injured in the incident. Two of them suffered grievous injuries, said an ER release.

Meanwhile, Commissioner of Railway Safety (Eastern Circle) R.P. Yadav visited the accident spot to begin a probe into the incident.

Senior railway and police officers also went to the site and supervised the repair work in which two cranes were used.

Yadav will hold a two-day inquiry at the office of the divisional railway manager, Malda Town beginning Tuesday, an Eastern Railway release said.

A train carrying the stranded passengers of the Guwahati-Bangalore Express has left Malda for Bangalore.

Eastern Railway has also run a superfast Garib Rath special train from Kolkata to Guwahati this afternoon to clear the extra rush of passengers.

The engine and six coaches of the Bangalore-bound Guwahati-BangaloreExpress derailed and were hit by the Azimganj-Malda Town passenger train coming from the opposite direction on the adjacent track.

Four coaches of the passenger train also ran off the tracks following the impact.

The accident occurred three weeks after 14 coaches of the Delhi-bound Howrah-Kalka express jumped the rails in Uttar Pradesh’s Fatehpur district, leaving 69 people dead and 249 others injured.