Train Splits in Bihar: Passengers Safe After Sampark Kranti Express Incident
Samastipur: An unusual incident occurred on Monday in Samastipur, involving the Bihar Sampark Kranti Express. The train, en route from Darbhanga to New Delhi, unexpectedly split into two parts, leaving passengers startled but unharmed.
The incident took place on the Samastipur-Muzaffarpur rail section between Karpurigram and Pusa stations. According to railway officials, the coupling that connects the engine to the coaches broke, causing the engine and one coach to detach and continue moving along the track for approximately 100 meters. The remaining 19 coaches were left behind.
The locomotive pilot acted swiftly, applying emergency brakes to stop the train. The engine, along with the detached coach, was brought back to Pusa station for inspection. The Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Samastipur, Vinay Srivastava, has ordered an investigation into the incident, led by the Senior Divisional Safety Officer. He confirmed that the breakage of the coupling was the cause of the accident, which resulted in a delay of over an hour for the train.
The Bihar Sampark Kranti Express had departed from Samastipur at 9:45 AM and was approaching Pusa station when the incident occurred. Passengers experienced a sudden jolt as the coaches separated, causing brief panic. However, the train was brought to a halt, and no injuries were reported.
Following the incident, passengers disembarked from the separated coaches, and the railway personnel conducted a thorough check of the train’s couplings. The train resumed its journey after the necessary inspections were completed.
This incident follows a previous scare just eight days earlier, when fire equipment in the same express train leaked at Samastipur Junction, causing alarm among passengers who mistakenly thought there was a fire. Quick action by the train staff and local security personnel helped manage the situation without incident.