Amaravati: Thirteen people died and 50 were injured afterafter a passenger train overshot the signal and hit another from behind on the Howrah-Chennai line in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday, months after the horrific three-train collision in Odisha that killed over 280.
A special passenger train going from Visakhapatnam to Palasa had stopped on tracks between Alamanda and Kantakapalle near Kothsavatsala because of no signal when the Vizag-Raigad passenger train rammed it, derailing three coaches.
Railways sources said the tragedy was a result of human error, adding that signalling was not noticed by loco pilot.
Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that all injured people have been shifted to different hospitals for treatment and announced a compensation of ₹ 10 lakh for families of the deceased.
“All injured shifted to hospitals. Ex-gratia compensation disbursement started- ₹ 10 Lakh in case of death, ₹ 2 Lakh towards grievous and ₹ 50,000 for minor injuries,” Mr Vaishnaw posted.