7 killed as New Farakka Express derails near Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh
Lucknow, Oct 10 : At least seven people were killed and nine others seriously injured as eight coaches and the engine of the New Farakka Express (14003) derailed near Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh Wednesday, Additional Director General (ADG), Law and order, Anand Kumar said.
The accident took place in Harchandpur area of Rae Bareli district at 6.10 am and around 30-35 people are injured, he said The injured are being taken to the Harchandpur PHC and district hospital.
The passengers are going to Lucknow and from there they will be sent to Delhi by a special train, officials said.
Senior officers, including the district magistrate, superintendent of police, CO, sub-divisional magistrate are at the spot and relief operations are in full swing, the ADG said.
A National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team comprising 40 personnel has reached the accident site.
The state transport department has allocated six buses by which 300 passengers have been evacuated.
The ADG said that the reason for derailment will be known after an Anti-Terrorism Squad is sent for an on-the-spot probe. Emergency helpline numbers have been set up at the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya junction, Mughalsarai, officials said.
All up and down lines on the route have been blocked and officials suspect that the number of casualties may rise.
Previously, the railways had said that six coaches have derailed. Meanwhile, sources said Chairman Railway Board Ashwani Lohani was on his way to the accident site.
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, who is in constant touch with the railway administration, has directed to effectively undertake relief and rescue operation and provide best possible medical help to the injured, the officials said.
Expressing condolences over the loss of lives, he has ordered an enquiry into the accident which will be conducted by the Commission of Railway Safety, Northern Circle.
Taking note of the incident, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed the district magistrate, the superintendent of police, health authorities and the NDRF to provide all possible assistance to relief and rescue operations, an official spokesperson said.
The chief minister expressed his condolences for the deceased and directed the director general of police to take all necessary action, he added.
Adityanath also announced Rs 2 lakh compensation for the family of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for those who are seriously injured.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
