Four passengers sustained minor injuries after the Kolkata–Sairang Express derailed near Digaru; railway operations have resumed, but rerailing work remains underway
New Delhi: The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) has demanded the resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw following the derailment of the Kolkata–Sairang Express in Assam, accusing him of prioritising social media publicity over railway safety.
NCP (SP) spokesperson Clyde Crasto described Vaishnaw as the “reel minister”, alleging that train accidents were becoming increasingly frequent while the minister remained focused on making social media reels and promoting himself.
The political criticism followed Wednesday morning’s derailment near Digaru railway station, around 44 km from Guwahati, where the locomotive and five coaches of Train No. 13125 went off the tracks at approximately 6.54 am while entering the station to give precedence to another train.
Four passengers sustained minor injuries and were admitted to Sonapur Primary Health Centre. All passengers were reported safe, with no major casualties.
The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) attributed the incident to the loco pilot’s alleged failure to control the train’s speed. However, a video reportedly captured the loco pilots referring to possible brake failure. The exact cause is yet to be formally established.
Following the incident, NFR launched rescue and restoration operations, arranged an alternative train and provided stranded passengers with food and drinking water. The special train departed Digaru at 11.40 am for Sairang.
Train services were disrupted, with the Alipurduar–Mariani Intercity Express short-terminated at Kamakhya and the Guwahati–Haibargaon DMU cancelled. The Guwahati–Jorhat Janshatabdi and Coimbatore–Silchar Express were also regulated at Panbari and Panikhaiti, respectively.
NFR subsequently confirmed that normal movement had resumed on both the Up and Down main lines at Digaru. Railway helplines were activated at Katihar, Kishanganj, New Jalpaiguri, Guwahati, Lumding, Badarpur and Silchar to assist passengers and their families.
Also Read: Tripura Civic Polls: BJP Secures 77 Seats Unopposed Ahead of November 27 Elections
