Railway minister on scene a day after Doon Exp mishap

Prima facie ruling out that the derailment of Doon Express was the handiwork of anti-social elements, Railway Minister Mukul Roy on Friday said that the inquiry into the incident will be conducted by Commissioner Railway Safety and stern action would be taken against the guilty.

The minister along with the senior officials visited the accident site where the Doon Express derailed on Thursday killing five persons and met the injured at the district hospital, official sources said.

Roy visited the district hospital in the wee hours and inquired about the well-being of the passengers injured in the accident. He said that expenses for the treatment of those seriously injured would be borne by the Railway ministry.

During his visit to the accident site near Mahrawa Railway Station, about 70 km from Varanasi, he said the inquiry would be handed over to safety commissioner to find out the cause of the accident within seven days and stern action would be taken against guilty.

Roy said that effective steps would be taken to check such incidents in the future.

Prima facie the accident is not the act of anti-social elements, he said, adding it was a subject of inquiry and truth would come to fore within a week.

Former Railway minister and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had on Thursday demanded an inquiry into the derailment stating it should be probed whether it was an 'accident or an incident'.

The minister said that while an ex-gratia of Rs five lakh each would be given to kin of passengers killed in the accident, financial assistance of Rs one lakh each would be given to the seriously injured and Rs 50,000 to those with minor injuries.

Five persons were on Thursday killed and 50 others injured when seven bogies including five sleeper and two general coaches of Howrah-Dehradun Doon Express derailed near Mahrawa Station.