Tripura government sending team to train accident site in West Bengal: Official

Agartala: The Tripura government is sending a team to the Kanchanjunga train accident site in West Bengal to provide all possible help to the passengers from the state, an official said on Monday.

At least 15 passengers died and 60 others were injured after three rear coaches of the stationary Agartala-Sealdah Kanchanjunga Express derailed on Monday morning as a goods train collided with it in West Bengal's Darjeeling district, officials said.

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha has spoken to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw over the accident and is personally monitoring the situation, state's Home Secretary Pradip Kumar Chakravarty told reporters .

"The Kanchanjunga Express left Agartala station on Sunday. We have sought passenger data from the railway authority to check if there is any casualty from our state," Chakravarty said.

The Tripura Home secretary said a two-member team from Kolkata's Tripura Bhavan will leave for the accident site at Rangapani to extend all possible help to the possible victims from the state.

"The team is expected to reach the site from Bagdogra airport by Monday evening. The state government also declared to provide Rs 2 lakh to the next kin of any person from the state in case of any death in the accident and medical expenditure to the injured persons," he said.