Jalpaiguri

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday said that a statutory inquiry has been initiated to find out the reason behind the train accident site at Domohani in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal.

The Railway Minister has informed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is monitoring the situation. "A statutory inquiry has been initiated. PM Modi is monitoring the situation and I am in constant touch with him. I wish a speedy recovery to the injured," Vaishnaw said as he visited the train accident site at Domohani in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal.

The death toll in the Bikaner-Guwahati Express train accident has risen to nine and as many as 36 people have been injured in the accident. Indian Railways has announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the family members of people who lost their lives in the incident. The Prime Minister, earlier on Thursday, took stock of the situation.

He also announced an enhanced amount of ex-gratia payment to the victims of the accident. Two teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) carried out the rescue operation as passengers were trapped after multiple bogies of the Guwahati-Bikaner Express (15633) derailed in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district on Thursday.

The accident took place near Domohani in West Bengal at around 5 pm. Around 10 coaches were affected in the accident.