33 killed after train smashes into bus

Accident occured at an unmanned railway crossing in UP, 33 members of a marriage party dead
Lucknow: At least 33 people were killed and over 30 injured when the Chhapra Mathura express train collided with a bus carrying members of a marriage party near Kanshiram Nagar district in Uttar Pradesh early Thursday, officials said.

The accident took place at an unmanned railway crossing in Thanagaon, some 250-km from Lucknow, government railway police inspector Dalveer Singh told IANS.

"Till now 31 people have died. We have learnt that the accident took place at around 2 a.m.," Kanshiram Nagar district magistrate Selva Kumari J. told reporters.

"All the injured have been admitted to hospitals and community health centres of Kanshiram Nagar and Etah districts. Majority of those injured are out of danger. A team of railway doctors is also assisting the local medical staff in treating the injured," she added.

According to officials, there were around 80 passengers in the bus at the time of the accident.

PM Manmohan Singh expressed extreme grief at the loss of life and announced ex-gratia relief of Rs 2 lakhs for the kin of each person killed, Rs 50,000 each for seriously injured and Rs 10,000 each for those with simple injuries.

He also ordered an inquiry by Railway Safety Commissioner into the accident.

Singh who holds the portfolio of railways directed Railway Board Chairman Vinay Mittal to proceed to the site of the accident.