A major train accident was averted at Santragachi station on Sunday morning after one of the couplets of the Howrah-Kantabanji Ispat Express connecting two compartments got uncoupled.
The incident happened after the train crossed Banksara rail-gate and due to the uncoupling, the engine moved ahead with the first two compartments with the remaining compartments getting stranded near the Santragachi railway station for a long time till a separate engine was arranged for the train to reach Howrah station.
According to Eastern Railway officials the engine was slow when the incident happened due to which a najor mishap could be avoided.
The tensed passengers however, blamed the railway officials for not checking the train properly before its departure from Howrah station.
Meanwhile, though the railway mishap was avoided, two road accidents took place in the state.
Bus Overturns in Burdwan, One Dead
In Kolkata, a BSF vehicle hit a private car and a taxi leaving few people injured. In another mishap, a bus overturned in Katwa of Burdwan district leaving at least three people dead (till the time of reporting) and over 40 people critically injured.
According to the passengers the bus was overcrowded and was speeding towards Burdwan town when the accident occurred.
After the accident, the injured were rushed to Katwa sub-divisional hospital.
A CCTV footage of the bus showed that some of the passengers were travelling sitting atop of the bus when it was speeding and overturned.
According to an injured woman passenger, to earn a few extra money the conductor of the bus took extra passengers beyond the permitted capacity.
The passengers also informed that the bus lost its control before it overturned.
