A stone-laden goods train heading toward Darshana, a small industrial town of Khulna division of Bangladesh today derailed at Rajmahal Railway station of Malda division of Eastern Railway Zone at around 9 am this morning.

The incident took place, when the track changing process was taking place but the train pushed the iron breaker lying on the end of the track. The driver of the train immediately stopped the train applying the brake and thereby a major accident was avoided as it might have broken the boundary wall of the National Highway 80 lying adjoining to the track.

Meanwhile, after receiving information about the incident senior officials of district administration and police of Rajmahal led by, Raushan Kumar Sah, Sub Divisional Officer and Arvind Kumar, Sub Divisional Police Officer took stock of the incident.

The duo, meanwhile also instructed the railway administration and vendor concerned responsible for the stone transport work to immediately clear the site after completing the track clearing and loading of stone consignments in the wagon immediately.

The instructions were given in view of the arrival of a large number of devotees in Rajmahal for the upcoming maghi mela, a tribal festival scheduled on the full moon of Hindi month of Magh.

Notably, Maghi Mela has an important place in tribal life and every year large numbers of devotees congregate at Rajmahal for Maghi Mela celebrated for three days. Rajmahal Station Superintendent, Uttam Kumar said “the derailed coaches have been brought back on the track and senior officials of the Railway have been informed about the incident”

“The process of loading of stone boulders in the railway wagon has also been resumed and all consignment would be dispatched after completing the loading work of stones in the wagons within 24 hours” said Kumar.