A devastating railway accident in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal has left five people dead and more than 25 injured, according to preliminary reports.
Report informs via Indian media outlets that the incident occurred when the Kanchenjunga Express, a passenger train, collided with a freight train in the Darjeeling district, causing two carriages of the express train to derail.
The accident took place in the Phansidewa area, as confirmed by Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal.
"Doctors, ambulances, and emergency crews were immediately dispatched to the scene to provide urgent assistance to the victims," Banerjee stated.
India, known for its extensive railway network, has witnessed several catastrophic train accidents over the years. The most devastating incident in the country's railway history occurred in 1981 when a train derailed while crossing a bridge in Bihar, resulting in the loss of approximately 800 lives. More recently, in June 2022, a collision involving three trains in the state of Odisha claimed the lives of nearly 300 people.