Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh) [India], November 18 (HBTV): Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao on Tuesday termed the Bilaspur train accident a very tragic incident and said that senior railway and state officials had reached the site, with relief and rescue operations underway.
A MEMU train had collided with a stationary goods train from behind, damaging the coach where the engine is located and where some passengers were seated. Sao said that relief and rescue efforts had begun and that the injured were being shifted to the hospital for treatment.
The death toll in the Bilaspur train accident has risen to eight, while several others were injured after a passenger train collided with a goods train near Bilaspur station on Tuesday, officials said.
Bilaspur District Collector Sanjay Agrawal said that the accident was of a serious nature, with several people trapped and many critically injured. He stated that eight people had lost their lives, two individuals remained stuck, and around 16 to 17 people were in serious condition. He added that all teams were present at the site and that rescue operations were underway.
Vipul Kumar, Chief Public Relations Officer of the South East Central Railways, said that the injured passengers were receiving immediate medical attention. The railway authorities also released emergency helpline numbers to assist families and passengers in view of the accident in Bilaspur district.
The helpline numbers for Champa Junction, Rajgarh, and Pendra Road are 808595652, 975248560, and 8294730162, respectively. For the accident site, the railways have issued two helpline numbers: 9752485499 and 8602007202.
(ANI)