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24 killed, 36 injured as goods train rams into stationary express in Beed

Twentyfour persons were killed, and 36 others injured, ten of them seriously, when a goods train rammed into the stationary Manmad-Kacheguda Express at Parli Vaijnath station in Beed district on the South-Central Railway, about 400 km from Bombay.

According to a Central Railway spokesperson, the 7663 Manmad-Kacheguda Express bound for Hyderabad was hit on its rear compartment by a speeding goods train on the same track at about 0110 hours IST. The rear coach was completely mangled, reports said.

The injured have been rushed to the Ambaijogai hospital, where the condition of ten passengers is still said to be serious. Some 20 of those injured have been discharged after being administered first-aid.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde, who rushed to the spot early this morning, has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 50,000 to the next of kin of the dead, and Rs 5,000 to the injured.

Relief and rescue operations have also started in full swing. South-Central Railway general manager N C Sinha, along with the chief public relations officer, has rushed to the spot and is carrying out investigations.

A Central Railway spokesperson said Union Railway Minister Nitish Kumar is rushing to the spot by a special aircraft to oversee the rescue and relief operations.

UNI

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