Agartala-Lokmanya Tilak Express Derails, Second Train Accident In Five Days

The 2520 Agartala-Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Express derailed today at Dibalong station in the Assam’s Dima Hasao Lumding-Badarpur Hill section. The accident occurred at around 3:55 PM. Eight coaches, including the engine and the power car derailed but fortunately, no casualties or serious injuries have been reported so far.

Accident Relief Trains and Medical Teams were dispatched from Lumding to the site, with senior Railway officials from the division overseeing the rescue and restoration efforts. Because of this incident, train operations in the Lumding-Badarpur single line section have been temporarily suspended.

Helpline numbers have been set up at Lumding for passengers and families seeking information: 03674 263120, 03674 263126.

This is the second train accident in five days. On October 12, 13 coaches of Bagmati Express derailed after it collided with a stationary goods train at Kavarapettai, near Chennai,. 17 people were injured.

India has seen multiple train accidents over the past decade, often due to technical failures, human negligence, or inadequate infrastructure.

According to data from the Ministry of Railways, the 2023-24 financial year alone saw 40 train accidents, resulting in 313 passenger deaths and four railway employee fatalities. These incidents represent the highest number of casualties in a decade, with almost half of the total fatalities reported over the last ten years.

In the last decade, we have witnessed 638 train accidents, with 719 passenger deaths and 29 worker fatalities, raising serious questions about safety measures across India’s vast railway network.

Several major train accidents have occurred across India in recent years, some of which have claimed many lives:

1. Kanchanjunga Express Accident (June 17, 2024): In one of the most recent accidents, at least 11 people were killed, and over 60 were injured when a goods train collided with the Sealdah-bound Kanchanjunga Express near the Rangapani station in West Bengal. The impact derailed the rear compartments of the express train, resulting in significant casualties.
2. Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express (June 2, 2023): One of the deadliest accidents in recent history, this tragic incident occurred when the Coromandel Express collided with a stationary freight train at Odisha’s Bahanaga Bazar station. The derailment caused coaches to collide with another passenger train, killing at least 293 people and injuring more than 1,200.
3. Bikaner-Guwahati Express (January 13, 2022): This accident saw 12 coaches derail in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district, resulting in the deaths of 10 passengers and injuries to more than 40 others
4. Freight Train Accident (May 8, 2020): An empty freight train tragically ran over 16 migrant workers sleeping on the tracks near Hyderabad. The workers, attempting to return to their home state of Madhya Pradesh amid the Covid-19 pandemic, could not move in time. This accident highlighted the vulnerability of migrant workers during the crisis.
5. Seemanchal Express (February 3, 2019): A rail fracture caused the derailment of the Delhi-bound Seemanchal Express in Bihar’s Vaishali district. Rail fractures, often the result of fatigue, corrosion, or poor maintenance, have been a recurrent issue in Indian railways.
6. Amritsar Train Accident (October 19, 2018): During Dussehra celebrations, a train ran over a crowd gathered on the tracks to watch a fireworks display. At least 60 people were killed, and 74 others were injured as two trains passed through the area.

Also Read: Tamil Nadu: Passenger Train Collides With Goods Train At Kavarappettai Railway Station