ENARADA, Bangalore 28, 2013:
As many as 26 passengers, traveling in the Bangalore-Nanded Express, have been charred to death and several others injured, when the three-tier Air-Conditioned bogie caught fire in the wee hours, around 3-30 a m , on Saturday, at Kothacheruvu near Puttaparthy in Ananthapur District of Andhra Pradesh.
The Helpline Numbers at Bangalore are: 080 – 2235 4108 and 080 – 22259271. The Helpline established at the Collectorate at Ananthpur : 08554 275 811. Mobile number of Thimmappa, district public relations officer, department of information and public relations, government of andhra pradesh, ananthpur is 099493 51632.
According to the District Public Relations Officer,Thimmappa, on learning about the incident, the district administration led by the District Collector Mr Lokesh Kumar swung into action and is carrying out relief and rescue operations.
The Minister for Revenue of Andhra Pradesh, Raghuveera Reddy, who is also personally supervising the relief and rescue operations, has appealed to the relatives of the passengers not to rush to the accident spot, as arrangements have already been made to shift the bodies to Bangalore. He said bodies will be sent to Victoria Hospital, Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital in Bangalore.
Raghuveera Reddy has said that as most of the bodies are beyond recognition, they could be identified only after conducting Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA ) Test. The bodies will later be handed over to the relatives at Bangalore.
The Minister has asked the relatives to contact the Helpline established by the South Western Railways to know about the deceased and injured passengers.
The Union Minister of State for Railways Mr Kotla Jayasurya Prakash Reddy visited the accident site. He said a compensation of Rs One Lakh will be given to seriously injured and Rs 50,000 to passengers with minor injuries.
The Union Minister for Railways Mr M Mallikarjuna Kharge has termed the incident as most unfortunate and has announced a compensation of Rs 5 Lakh to the kin of the deceased families, He has also ordered for an inquiry about the incident, says a report from Gulbarga.
Karnataka Chief Minister Mr Siddaramaiah has expressed shock over the incident. Such incidents should not recur, he added.
