Kolkata-Sairang Express derailment: Four injured passengers taken to Sonapur PHC

Four passengers sustained minor injuries after five coaches and the locomotive of the Kolkata-Sairang Express derailed near Digaru railway station in Assam's Kamrup (Metropolitan) district on Wednesday morning. All four injured passengers have been admitted to Sonapur Primary Health Centre for treatment.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said all passengers were safe and the injured were receiving medical attention. He added that the government was coordinating with the Railway Ministry to ensure assistance to those stranded following the incident.

“All stranded passengers have been provided with basic necessities, and an alternative train has been arranged for their onward journey,” Sarma said in a social media post.

According to a Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) spokesperson, the derailment occurred at around 6.54 am as the train was entering Digaru station. The locomotive and five coaches went off the tracks after the loco pilot allegedly failed to control the train's speed while giving precedence to another train.

No major injuries were reported, the spokesperson said, adding that all passengers were safe.

A special train was arranged to transport stranded passengers to their respective destinations. Food and drinking water were also provided, while a recovery train was deployed to clear the tracks and carry out restoration work.

The incident disrupted several train services in the region. The Guwahati-Jorhat Janshatabdi Express and the Coimbatore-Silchar Express were regulated at Panbari and Panikhaiti, respectively. The Alipurduar-Mariani Intercity Express was short-terminated at Kamakhya station, while the Guwahati-Haibargaon DMU was cancelled.

NFR later said normal train operations on the affected section had been restored. Trains held up or regulated at different locations were being allowed to resume their journeys gradually.

Railway helpline numbers were activated at Katihar, Kishanganj, New Jalpaiguri, Guwahati, Lumding, Badarpur and Silchar to assist passengers.