One killed as Tatanagar-Ernakulam Express train catches fire in Andhra Pradesh
Visakhapatnam (PTI): One person was killed after two compartments of the Tatanagar-Ernakulam Express caught fire at Yalamanchili, about 66 km from here, police said on Monday.
The police received information about the fire at 12:45 am.
A police official told reporters that there were 82 passengers in one of the affected coaches and 76 in another when the train caught fire.
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"Unfortunately, a dead body was found in the B1 coach," the official added.
The deceased was identified as Chandrsekhar Sundaram.
The two damaged coaches were detached from the train, which proceeded towards Ernakulam. The passengers in the damaged coaches will be sent to their destinations.
Two forensic teams are working to ascertain the cause of the fire, the police official said.
The South Central Railway, in a statement, said B1 and M2 coaches of the train (No.18189) caught fire and the Railway staff swiftly acted and immediately informed the Fire brigade.
The Railway officials also swung into action and assisted passengers in deboarding the train.
The fire brigade reached the spot and extinguished the fire.
As a precaution, both the affected coaches and an additional AC III Tier Coach (M1) were detached.
The remaining coaches are currently being moved to Samalkot Railway Station, where three empty replacement coaches will be attached to the formation.
Meanwhile, passengers from the affected coaches are being shifted to Samalkot station by arranging bus services.
The Commissioner of Railway Safety and other senior officials of SCR have rushed to the site, alongside forensic and medical teams to determine the cause of the fire and assess any casualties.
All necessary precautions in coordination with local administration are being taken, even as the SCR has set up Helpline Numbers to provide assistance and train running information, the release added.
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UDF will have huge win in Kerala, NDA won't open its account: Cong leader Satheesan
Kochi (PTI): Senior Congress leader V D Satheesan on Friday expressed confidence in a huge win by the UDF, claiming it will make a clean sweep in five districts, and brushed aside speculations that the NDA will open its account in Kerala.
Satheesan, speaking to reporters here a day after the conclusion of the Assembly polls, praised the performance of the UDF leaders and workers during the election, saying it was the best ever he has seen in the last 30 years.
He said that his claims of the UDF getting over 100 seats is not a mere statement, but based on the work the front has done during the last five years to bring back all those who had left it in 2005 and as a result, there was a huge wave in its favour in the state.
The leader of opposition in the state assembly, who contested from the Paravoor constituency, further said that the Congress-led front also had a major social backing from minorities and marginalised groups in the society.
Besides that, there was an anti-incumbency feeling among the people who were disappointed with the LDF rule, he claimed and said that the UDF provided them with a hope and an alternative which no other opposition had done in the past.
"All these factors will contribute to a huge win for the UDF and it would not be surprising if we make a clean sweep in Malappuram, Wayanad, Ernakulam, Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts. That is a total of 43 seats," he said.
According to him, the polling percentage increased because the UDF got people added to the electoral list.
He also brushed aside the LDF remarks about a woman or youth CM, saying that "they can make such statements now as they know they cannot win".
"Otherwise, why did they campaign with Pinarayi Vijayan as the main factor. Why did they say a third Pinarayi rule will come?" he asked.
He also claimed that the LDF's decision to spend government money on its political campaign, by putting up hoardings and carrying out social media programmes to sway voters, has also backfired as people realised that their taxes were being wasted like that.
Asked whether the NDA will open its account, especially in areas where the UDF claimed the BJP-led front had made a deal with the LDF, Satheesan replied in the negative.
He said that as of now he does not see any chance of the NDA opening its account in the state.
