Patna: In the wake of the Uttar Pradesh train derailment tragedy on Sunday, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar cancelled a function to release a report card of his government on completion of one year in office and expressed grief over the mishap that claimed 96 lives and left 226 injured.
In his condolence message, Kumar described the mishap as sad and expressed deep grief over the casaulties, praying to the almighty to provide strength to families of the bereaved to cope with the tragedy.
Kumar ordered cancellation of the state function to release the annual report card of his government marking completion of one year in office.
“CM has cancelled the function to release report card of the government today on completion of one year in office,” a statement from Information and Public Relations Department said.
Nitish Kumar. Reuters
All preparations had been made for the function and several officials and journalists had also arrived at the venue, but had to return the cancellation.
The mishap took place in Kanpur Dehat district in the wee hours today.
On assuming office in 2005, Kumar had started a practice of giving an account of developmental work of his government every year in the shape of an annual report card.
Sunday was the date of issuance of the first report card of grand secular alliance government comprising JD(U), RJD and Congress in Bihar headed by Kumar.
On the instructions of the CM, a three-member team of senior Bihar officials including Principal Secretary Disaster Management Pratyay Amrit, Special Secretary in Home Jitendra Kumar Gangwar and Inspector General of Police, Railway Amit Kumar rushed to the accident site in a special plane to monitor rescue work.
“We will see that victims and their kins get maximum convenience,” Pratyay Amrit told PTI before boarding the plane at Patna Airport.
The government has set up a state-level control room (no 0612-2217305/2217306) to help bereaved families and kins of the injured in the derailment.
Four coaches of the train – S1, S2, S3, S4- were badly damaged in the mishap that took place at around 3 am near
Pukhraya.
Most of the passengers were jolted out of their sleep to find themselves among mangled remains of the bogies.
First Published On : Nov 20, 2016 14:00 IST
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Indore-Patna Express derails: Nitish condoles mishap deaths, cancels govt function
