scorecardresearch
Friday, Mar 29, 2024
Advertisement
Live now

Kushinagar accident highlights: Yogi Adityanath announces ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for families of victims

Kushinagar accident LIVE UPDATES: Yogi Adityanath said, "Thirteen students have died, four students and the van driver are critically injured. They are admitted to BRD Medical College. An inquiry will be conducted to nab those responsible. I spoke to the Railway Minister also about ways to man the unmanned railway crossings."

By: Express Web Desk
New Delhi | Updated: April 26, 2018 20:18 IST
Kushinagar accident LIVE UPDATES: At least 18 students killed after Gorakhpur-bound train rams school van Kushinagar accident LIVE UPDATES: The train was on way to Gorakhpur from Siwan. (Express photo)

At least 13 students from Divine Public School in Kushinagar district in Uttar Pradesh died and four others were critically injured on Thursday after the Thawe-Kapatanganj passenger train collided with their school van at an unmanned crossing gate at Behpurva. According to local eyewitnesses, the van stalled on the tracks before it was hit by a train. The train left from Siwan and was headed to Gorakhpur. Reacting to the incident, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his deepest condolences and announced an ex-gratia of Rs two lakh each to the family members of the deceased and ordered an inquiry by the Gorakhpur commissioner. “The children, students of Divine Public School, were killed on the spot when Thawe-Kapatanganj passenger train (55075) crashed into the van at an unmanned crossing gate at Behpurva,” PTI quoted spokesperson for Railways, Ved Prakash as saying. Also Read | Yogi Adityanath says driver at fault, was wearing earphones

Live Blog

Kushinagar train-bus collision LIVE UPDATES: At least 13 students killed in an accident in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar district. 

18:51 (IST)26 Apr 2018
Kushinagar train-bus collision pictures

Here are some pictures from the accident site in Kushinagar where the Thawe-Kapatanganj passenger train collided with a school van, killing 13 students. (Pictures by Vishal Srivastav)

 

18:23 (IST)26 Apr 2018
Principal of school where the children studied detained

The principal of Divine Public School, who was apparently absconding after the accident, has been detained by police. The thirteen children who were killed in the accident were students of this school. The vehicle carrying them collided with a train at an unmanned crossing. Earlier, PTI had reported that the school was unregistered.

17:06 (IST)26 Apr 2018
Protesters complain of 'irresponsible attitude' of hospital staff

Protests erupted in Kushinagar as CM Yogi Adityanath vistited the accident site in the afternoon. The agitators demanded that railway personnel should be posted at the unmanned crossing to avoid such accidents. Members of Bar Council, Kushinagar, also complained about the "irresponsible attitude" of the district hospital staff. "As soon as they saw 13 bodies, senior officials of district hospital at Kushinagar referred four injured children and the driver to BRD Hospital without even administering first aid," members of the Bar Council complained to the chief minister, according to an official.

16:34 (IST)26 Apr 2018
'Narebaazi band karo, nautanki band karo,' Adityanath tells protesters

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath faced widespread protests when he went to the accident site in Kushinagar where 13 children were killed when a train rammed into their school van at an unmanned railway crossing. Addressing the protesters, Adityanath asked them to stop raising slogans and stop the drama. "Narebaazi band karo, nautanki band karo," PTI quoted the CM as saying.

14:44 (IST)26 Apr 2018
UP minister Surya Pratap Shahi at accident site

UP Cabinet Minister Surya Pratap Shahi visited the site of accident in which 13 school students died after collision between a school van and train in Kushinagar. Four students and the driver of the van have been admitted to BRD Medical College Hospital. PTI reported that the school was unregistered. Reacting to the report, CM Yogi Adityanath said an inquiry would be conducted.

14:16 (IST)26 Apr 2018
Yogi Adityanath visits BRD hospital

CM Yogi Adityanath visited BRD Medical College where the treatment of four children and the driver of the van is underway.

14:08 (IST)26 Apr 2018

Governor Ram Naik also condoled the death of minor children in the accident.

14:07 (IST)26 Apr 2018

"I have met the family members of the victims and both the state government and Railways will extend financial help. An FIR was being lodged into the case," Adityanath said.

13:52 (IST)26 Apr 2018
Congress President Rahul Gandhi expresses condolences
13:51 (IST)26 Apr 2018

Arvind Bharati informed that even Railways have ordered an inquiry adding, "Railway traffic Inspector, Padrauna reached the site and arranged an ambulance. GM, DRM, HODs had left for the site. JA (Junior Administrative) grade inquiry ordered."

13:50 (IST)26 Apr 2018

Sanjay Yadav, Public Information Officer, North Eastern Railways, Gorakhpur, informed that "Train no. 55075 dashed with Tata Magic carrying school children at an unmanned level crossing no-45 at about 7.00 am, between (Tamkuhi Road - Dudahi) stations of Thawe and Kaptanganj section, according to the train driver. Gate Mitra Arvind Bharati was available at UMLC and tried to stop Tata Magic but vehicle driver didn't stop."

13:06 (IST)26 Apr 2018

Among those who died included all the three children of Amarjeet Prasad, who is Gram Pradhan of Misrauli village in Kushinagar. Sources inform that one of the injured children have revealed that the driver had put on the earphones because of which he could not hear the train.

12:52 (IST)26 Apr 2018
12:31 (IST)26 Apr 2018

"Basically, people have to be careful while crossing rail tracks, there is no substitute for that. We can't take any step that is full proof of negligence," Railway Board Chairman Ashwani Lohani said.

12:30 (IST)26 Apr 2018
12:12 (IST)26 Apr 2018
We stand committed to take all possible steps to avoid such accidents in future, says Piyush Goyal

Railways Minister Piyush Goyal in a statement said:

I am deeply anguished and pained by the loss of lives of young school children at an unmanned level crossing (UMLC) in Kushinagar, UP. My thoughts are with families of the deceased and I pray for the early recovery of the injured.

Ministry of Railways will provide an ex gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh for kin of the deceased, Rs 1 lakh for those with serious injuries and Rs 50,000 for those with simple injuries.

I have ordered a senior level enquiry into the incident.

We stand committed to take all possible steps to avoid such accidents in future.

12:02 (IST)26 Apr 2018

The UP CM also said, "13 students have died, 4 students and the van driver are critically injured. They are admitted to BRD Medical College. An inquiry will be conducted to nab those responsible. I spoke to Railway Minister also about ways to man the unmanned railway crossings."

11:52 (IST)26 Apr 2018
Yogi Adityanath says strict action will be taken

Yogi Adityanath said, "Spoke to Railway minister. Prima facie appears to be a mistake of the van driver, he had earphones on and there are questions about his age too. There are rules in place, an inquiry will be conducted as to why they were not followed. Strict action will be taken."

11:50 (IST)26 Apr 2018
Yogi Adityanath at the accident site
11:47 (IST)26 Apr 2018
Trying to eliminate unmanned level crossings, says Railway Board Chairman

Reacting to the accident, Railway Board Chairman Ashwani Lohani said, "We are trying to eliminate unmanned level crossings. According to latest reports, 13 school students have died in collision between a school van and train in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar. (ANI photo)

11:40 (IST)26 Apr 2018
11:38 (IST)26 Apr 2018
11:37 (IST)26 Apr 2018

Local Congress MLA, Ajay Kumar 'Lallu', who too rushed the spot, told The Indian Express: "Local Village head Amarjeet lost his three children while one Haider Ali's two kids died in the tragedy.

11:21 (IST)26 Apr 2018

Soon the vicinity echoed with screams of kids and nearby villagers rushed to the spot to find 13 children lying dead and four others critically injured. The driver too was lying seriously injured. The locals and police arranged an ambulance to rush the injured to the medical college.

11:09 (IST)26 Apr 2018
'Train dragged van for over 100 metres'

As the van drove through the track, the speeding train hit the vehicle dragging it to over 100 metres, the eyewitness informs.

11:08 (IST)26 Apr 2018
The van was carrying 17 children

According to an eyewitness, the Tata Magic van of Divine Public School was carrying 17 children to the school when the driver who reportedly was driving the vehicle rashly tried crossing the unmanned railway crossing around 6.50 am while the train was blowing horn continuously.

11:02 (IST)26 Apr 2018
Yogi Adityanath reaches Kushinagar

CM Yogi Adityanath reached the spot and met the family members of the deceased children. 

10:56 (IST)26 Apr 2018

The incident happened due to negligent driving by the school van driver. The van driver too is critically injured. The injured children and the driver are rushed to the BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur.  All the children met the tragedy are below 10 years of age.

10:29 (IST)26 Apr 2018
Huge crowd gathered at the site soon after the accident.

The damaged school van after the accident. (Express photo)

10:25 (IST)26 Apr 2018

'It was an unmanned level crossing gate at Behpurva, with Gate Mitra (rail volunteer) deployed there. He tried to stop the van but the unfortunate incident happened at unmanned gate 45 near Dudhi station in Banaras division,' the spokesperson said in New Delhi. (Express photo)

10:20 (IST)26 Apr 2018
President Kovind expresses sadness over Kushinagar accident
10:19 (IST)26 Apr 2018
10:18 (IST)26 Apr 2018
09:57 (IST)26 Apr 2018
PM Modi: Extremely saddened to hear about death of school students in UP

I am extremely saddened on hearing about the death of 11 school students in a collision between a school van and a train in Uttar Pradesh's #Kushinagar . UP government and railway dept will take appropriate action: Prime Minister Narendra Modi

09:55 (IST)26 Apr 2018
Have asked senior officials to conduct inquiry into the incident, says Piyush Goyal

Union Railways Minister Piyush Goyal in a tweet said, "I have asked senior officials to conduct an inquiry into the incident. Railways will provide an ex-gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh each to families of the deceased."

09:52 (IST)26 Apr 2018
Seven students are critically injured

Anand Kumar, ADG (Law and Order)said, "Total 18 school students were travelling in the vehicle out of which 11 have died, many of the rest 7 are critically injured, the death toll may go up."

09:51 (IST)26 Apr 2018
09:48 (IST)26 Apr 2018
CM Yogi Adityanath orders probe

An official from UP government in a statement said, "In the unfortunate train accident of schoolchildren in Kushinagar where students of Divine Public School have died Hon CM has expressed his deepest condolences on this very unfortunate incident and directed the district administration to provide all possible help and medical aid and declared exgratia of Rs 2 lakhs and also directed the Commissioner Gorakhpur to conduct an enquiry immediately on the cause of this accident."

09:43 (IST)26 Apr 2018
Yogi Adityanath to arrive at spot in helicopter

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to arrive at the spot in a helicopter, according to TV reports.

09:41 (IST)26 Apr 2018

According to local eyewitnesses, the van stalled on the tracks before it was hit by a train. The train was on way to Gorakhpur from Siwan. 

09:41 (IST)26 Apr 2018

An accident relief medical train from Gorakhpur has been dispatched to the site.

09:41 (IST)26 Apr 2018

"It was unmanned level crossing gate at Behpurva, with Gate Mitra deployed there. He tried to stop but the unfortunate incident happened at unmanned gate 45 near Dudhi station in Banaras division," the spokesperson said in New Delhi.

09:41 (IST)26 Apr 2018
Yogi Adityanath expresses condolences
09:40 (IST)26 Apr 2018
Yogi Adityanath announces ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to deceases's family

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the deceased's family and ordered an inquiry by the Gorakhpur commissioner.

09:38 (IST)26 Apr 2018

The children, students of Divine Public School, were killed on the spot when Thawe-Kapatanganj passenger train (55075) crashed into the van at an unmanned crossing gate at Behpurva, said Ved Prakash, spokesperson for Railways.  He said that there were at least 25 people, including children in the van, most of whom were children below the age of 10 years, according to PTI.

09:34 (IST)26 Apr 2018

Welcome to our LIVE blog. At least 13 students were killed in a bus-train collision in Uttar Pradesh Kushinagar district.  Yogi Adityanath is rushing to the spot. Stay tuned to get the latest updates.

Kushinagar accident LIVE UPDATES: At least 13 students killed in train-van collision, Yogi Adityanath meets family of victims Kushinagar accident LIVE updates: At least 13 school students died in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar.

Kushinagar accident LIVE UPDATES: "In the unfortunate train accident of school children in Kushinagar where students of Divine Public School have died, the CM has expressed his deepest condolences on this very unfortunate incident and directed the district administration to provide all possible help and medical aid and declared ex-gratia of Rs 2 Lakhs and also directed the Commissioner Gorakhpur to conduct an inquiry immediately on the cause of this accident," an official from the UP government said.

  • news-guard-logo
  • The Indian Express website has been rated GREEN for its credibility and trustworthiness by Newsguard, a global service that rates news sources for their journalistic standards.
  • news-guard-logo-with-title
First uploaded on: 26-04-2018 at 09:21 IST
Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments
close