Rajnath speaks to AP CM

NEW DELHI: Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday spoke to the Chief Minister of the southeastern Indian state of N Chandrababu Naidu and took stock of the situation arising out of the derailment of Jagdalpur-bhubaneswar Express in which 36 people lost their lives.

Singh also expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased. The Home Minister said the news of train accident in Andhra Pradesh is extremely distressing and he is deeply pained over the loss of precious lives.

During the telephonic conversation, the Chief Minister briefed the Home Minister the steps taken for rescue and relief of the accident victims, a statement said. Singh assured Naidu all central help in rescue and relief efforts and said a team of the National Disaster Response Force has already reached the spot and is engaged in the rescue operations, it said.

He said due care and diligence is being taken into consideration by NDRF teams as the victims might be trapped under the mangled bogies, the operation is still in progress.

Singh also reviewed with senior officials the situation of the train accident in Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh. The Director General, NDRF is monitoring the situation round the clock and a 24x7 NDRF Control Room is in touch with Railway authorities and local civil administration to render any kinds of assistance, the Home Minister said.

At least 36 passengers were killed and over 60 injured as the engine and nine coaches of the Jagdalpur-bhubaneswar Hirakhand Express derailed in Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh on Saturday night.