Governor, CM visit injured
Victims assured free treatment

Ludhiana, May 15 The Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, today ruled out any subversion or sabotage behind the fire in the Frontier Mail (Golden Express) in Ladhowal, near here. The Governor, Mr O.P. Verma, also reached here in the afternoon to supervise the relief and rescue operation undertaken by the Railways and the administration. Punjab Governor O.P. Verma visits train fire victims in CMC Hospital, Ludhiana, on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Pradeep Tewari

Kalam, Vajpayee mourn deaths
New Delhi, May 15
President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Congress President Sonia Gandhi today expressed condolences to the families bereaved in the Frontier Mail fire.

Nitish must quit, says Paswan Dharamsala, May 15 Former Union Minister and President of the Lok Janshakti Party, Mr Ram Vilas Paswan, has accused the Railway Minister Mr Nitish Kumar, of ignoring safety norms in the Railways and has demanded his resignation . He also asked the Prime Minister to take charge of the portfolio and shift the Chairman of the Railway Board. Union Railway Minister Nitish Kumar inspects a coach of the ill-fated train in Ludhiana on Thursday. — Photo by Pardeep Tewari.

Passengers recount tales of horror
Ladhowal (Ludhiana), May 15
A passenger travelling in the ill-fated Frontier Mail saw some sparks near a toilet in the S-5 coach of the train before fire engulfed four of its compartments. Mr Sati Pitoliwali, travelling from Daund, had got up to ease himself in the wee hours when he noticed some sparks near the toilet.

33 rail mishaps in 13 years
New Delhi, May 15
The fire in the three coaches of the Frontier Mail in the wee hours today in Ludhiana district, in which at least 38 persons were killed, was the second major train tragedy this year.

Governor, CM visit injured
Victims assured free treatment
Vimal Sumbly
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 15
The Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, today ruled out any subversion or sabotage behind the fire in the Frontier Mail (Golden Express) in Ladhowal, near here.

The Governor, Mr O.P. Verma, also reached here in the afternoon to supervise the relief and rescue operation undertaken by the Railways and the administration. He went to the Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMC) and the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMC) and inquired about the welfare of the 13 victims.

Expressing grief over the death of over 35 persons in the accident, the Governor assured the injured of all help. He also appreciated the doctors and the civilians for ensuring proper and timely medical aid to the victims.

Ruling out sabotage and quoting senior police officers, the Chief Minister maintained that apparently there was no sabotage as no splinters or explosive material had been found from the site of the mishap.

He said parts of a stove were seen in the S-4 coach which indicate that some fuel might have leaked from it which might have caught fire. But, he clarified, the forensic experts would find out the cause of the tragedy. The investigation has already begun.

While the Railways has announced an ex gratia for the families of those killed in the tragedy, the Chief Minister announced that the state government would take care of the injured who have been hospitalised.

He directed the Deputy Commissioner to ensure that all expenses incurred on the treatment of the victims were borne by the state. The Chief Minister also visited the injured in the CMC hospital and assured them medical aid free of cost. He lauded the efforts of the local officials, particularly the police and the fire services who did their best to save as many people as possible. 

Kalam, Vajpayee mourn deaths

New Delhi, May 15
President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Congress President Sonia Gandhi today expressed condolences to the families bereaved in the Frontier Mail fire.

Seeking a high-level inquiry, these leaders said the Railway should ensure immediate distribution of adequate compensation among next of kin of the deceased. PTI, UNI, TNS

Nitish must quit, says Paswan
Our Correspondent

Dharamsala, May 15
Former Union Minister and President of the Lok Janshakti Party, Mr Ram Vilas Paswan, has accused the Railway Minister Mr Nitish Kumar, of ignoring safety norms in the Railways and has demanded his resignation . He also asked the Prime Minister to take charge of the portfolio and shift the Chairman of the Railway Board.

Mr Paswan, who is here on a private visit was talking to mediapersons after getting news about the train accident near Ludhiana which has claimed more than 35 lives.

The LJP President said that during Mr Nitish Kumar’s tenure as Rail Minister for the first time a sum of Rs 17,000 crore had been collected for rail safety. While Rs. 12,000 crore was provided by the general pool, the remaining amonut was collected from people through taxes. He alleged that since the creation of this fund, Railway safety has become a casualty.

He alleged that trains had been started not as per priority or policy but according to the whims and fancies of the minister and emphasis on safety had been ignored.

Showing concern for the families of the accident victims, Mr Paswan said it was ironic that while lowerlevel employees were made the “scapegoat” for such accidents, no senior officer had ever been punished for ignoring safety norms.

Passengers recount tales of horror

Ladhowal (Ludhiana), May 15
A passenger travelling in the ill-fated Frontier Mail saw some sparks near a toilet in the S-5 coach of the train before fire engulfed four of its compartments. Mr Sati Pitoliwali, travelling from Daund, had got up to ease himself in the wee hours when he noticed some sparks near the toilet.

“I raised the alarm and alerted others, but soon there was a hue and cry all around and it was difficult to tell what had happened before we saw flames leaping out from the S-4 coach,” he said.

Another passenger Mr A.D. Singh, a Havildar with the Army travelling from Ambala to Amritsar in S-3 coach, said he immediately rushed to the S-4 coach and helped rescue a number of passengers, many of whom were in deep sleep and caught unawares.

Mr A.D. Singh said a thick blanket of smoke had engulfed the worst-affected S-4 compartment, which seemed to have more than its listed number of 72 passengers.

Another Army man Shahji M.K., going to Amritsar from Delhi, lost three members of his family in the tragedy.

Struggling to hold back tears, he said his wife Beti Shahji, son Johny (11) and daughter Tony Shahji (6) had been killed in the fire.

Residents of Phaguwal village, nearest to the site of tragedy, were the first to rush to the rescue of the passengers.

Mr Sanjiv Sud and Mr Manmohan Singh, residents of Phaguwal village, said they rushed to the spot after seeing leaping flames. Soon, 300 persons from the small village rushed to the burning train with whatever relief material they could arrange.

“Initially we took water in buckets, but it was inadequate,” Mr Sud said, adding that the villagers immediately switched on a tubewell for drawing water.

They also arranged food and water for the passengers.

It was noticed that wooden sleepers on tracks beneath the burnt coaches and electric poles near them had also been damaged.

Mrs Anjali Ganpati admitted Christian Medical College Hospital, Ludhiana, said five of her family members, including her husband Army Lance Naik Patial Ganpati, were missing.

“I was sleeping on the upper berth when I felt suffocation. On waking up, I found smoke in the compartment and ran towards the exit from where I jumped as the train had stopped by then,” Mrs Ganpati recalled. PTI

33 rail mishaps in 13 years

New Delhi, May 15
The fire in the three coaches of the Frontier Mail in the wee hours today in Ludhiana district, in which at least 38 persons were killed, was the second major train tragedy this year.

September 10, 2002: 120 killed when the Kolkata-New Delhi Rajdhani Express derails over a bridge in Bihar. PTI