A high-level inquiry was initiated by the Indian Railways on Saturday following a collision between a running express train and a stationary goods train at Kavaraipettai railway station in Tamil Nadu, leaving at least 19 people injured.

The collision, which occurred on Friday evening near Chennai, caused a fire in two coaches of the Mysuru-Darbhanga Bagmati Express and led to the derailment of 13 coaches. Emergency response teams quickly evacuated the area, and the injured passengers were taken to hospitals for treatment.

On Saturday morning, stranded passengers were transferred to a special train to resume their journey. Meanwhile, restoration efforts continued at the accident site, with railway workers clearing debris and drone footage capturing the damage. The footage showed scattered coaches and a crowd of onlookers at the site.

Incident Details

The crash took place at approximately 8:30 pm on Friday. According to railway officials, the express train's crew felt a significant jolt as the train entered Kavaraipettai station. Although the train was expected to continue on the main line, it unexpectedly switched to the loop line, where it collided with the stationary goods train.

General Manager of Southern Railway, RN Singh, explained: “The train was scheduled to pass through the station without stopping. While green signals were given after the train left Chennai, it was supposed to proceed on the main line. However, due to an error at the switch, it was diverted onto the loop line, where the collision occurred.”

The parcel van of the train caught fire, and a total of 13 coaches derailed. Train services in the affected area were halted, and restoration efforts are ongoing. Two trains have been cancelled, and several others have been rerouted.

Political Reactions

Following the incident, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi criticized the government for its handling of train safety, comparing this accident to the Balasore train tragedy. He tweeted, “The Mysuru-Darbhanga train accident mirrors the horrific Balasore accident—a passenger train colliding with a stationary goods train. Despite many lives lost in numerous accidents, no lessons are learned. Accountability starts at the top. How many more families must be destroyed before this government wakes up?"

Rescue and Recovery Efforts

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin assured the public that rescue and restoration work was being closely monitored. Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin visited the injured passengers at the Government Stanley Medical College in Chennai. Minister Avadi Nasar, along with senior officials, oversaw rescue operations on-site.

The Railways confirmed that over 95% of passengers were safely evacuated from the derailed coaches, with no reports of casualties or severe injuries. A special train carrying stranded passengers departed from Chennai Central railway station at 4:45 am on Saturday, continuing the journey of the Mysuru-Darbhanga Bagmati Express. During the wait, passengers were provided with food and water.

Railway officials stated that restoration efforts are underway to resume train services in the area as quickly as possible.