Aurangabad (Maharashtra): Fifteen migrant labourers have died after a goods train ran over a group of 16 labourers asleep on the railway tracks early on Friday in Maharashtra. The home-bound lot were run over between Jalna and Aurangabad.
At least 14 people died on the spot and two injured in the incident, said an official adding that when the injured were shifted to a government hospital in Ghati, one of them succumbed to his injuries.
The incident happened around 5.30 am when the migrants were sleeping on the railway tracks.
An enquiry has been ordered by the Commissioner, Railway Safety.
A senior railway ministry official in Delhi said that those run over by train are labourers and residents of Madhya Pradesh’s Umarya and Shahdol and worked in SRG Company in Maharashtra’s Jalna.
He said that senior officials of the Nanded division and the Government Rail Police (GRP) and local police had rushed to the accident site.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the deaths on Twitter: “Extremely anguished by the loss of lives due to the rail accident in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Have spoken to Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and he is closely monitoring the situation. All possible assistance required is being provided.”
Railway Minister also tweeted: “Today received a saddening news of labourers sleeping on railway tracks run over by a goods train at 5.22 am in Nanded division between Karnad and Badnapur railway station. Relief work is on and an enquiry has been ordered. I pray for the those who lost their lives.”
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each for the kin of the dead.