Lalu admits Railways at fault

Old overbridge at Bhagalpur station was being dismantled; minister says ‘criminal case’ against guilty officials

More than 30 people, including 12 women, were killed and many injured when a railway overbridge collapsed over a train at Bhagalpur Railway Station today. The overbridge, known as the Ultaa Pul, was over 140 years old and not in use. It collapsed over a sleeper coach of 3071 UP Howrah-Jamalpur Express, while the train was entering the station.

Eastern Railway Public Relations Officer Samir Goswami confirmed 33 deaths till 6 pm and put the injured figure at 20. Rescue operations were on till late evening and the toll was expected to rise. Local reports, however, put the number of dead at 47. The injured were rushed to the local medical college.

Though an alternative bridge was functional at the station for the past six months, the old bridge was still in the process of being dismantled. In fact, two days back part of the bridge had collapsed on the tracks.

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Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad admitted the lapse at an election rally, saying a “criminal case” would be lodged against the guilty officials. He also ordered the suspension of two engineers and announced a probe by the Railway Safety Commissioner.

The ill-fated coach was reportedly packed by unreserved passengers and most were crowding near the door, preparing to get off at the station, when the bridge collapsed.

President A P J Abdul Kalam condoled the deaths and expressed his sympathies with bereaved families and wished a speedy recovery for the injured. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi also expressed distress and grief.

Ex gratia announced

Kolkata: The Railways announced an ex gratia of Rs 15,000 to the next of kin of the dead and Rs 5,000 for each of the nine severely injured and Rs 500 to eight others with simple injury. An Eastern Railway release said the bodies were identified as those of Isha Kumari of Munghyr, Ravi Kumar, Anandi Mandal of Shivnarayanpur and Md Seikh Murshid of Bhagalpur. — PTI