Bengal rail disaster: Death toll rises to nine

Union Minister John Barla said on Friday morning that the death toll in the derailment of the Bikaner-Guwahati Express in New Jalpaiguri district had risen to nine.

Barla, who is minister of state for minority affairs, visited the disaster site on Friday morning. He tweeted rescue operations had been completed and 36 injured people had been shifted to hospitals.

Barla was quoted by sources as saying passengers bound for Guwahati were sent to the city by a special tr

Sources reported the injured people had been sent to Jalpaiguri district hospital, Moynaguri government hospital and North Bengal Medical College in Siliguri.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is scheduled to visit the disaster site on Friday morning.

There were 1,053 passengers on board the train at the time of the derailment.