Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday announced Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia each to the families of five passengers who were killed when Konark Express ran over them in Srikakulam district. Five passengers of Guwahati Express were killed and one injured near Bathuva of G. Sigadam mandal of Srikakulam district on Monday night. The accident occurred when the train stopped near the Batuva railway gate following a technical glitch. Some passengers in the general compartment got down to get some relief from suffocation. They were relaxing on a parallel track when the speeding Konark Express ran over them.
Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy was briefed by officials about the accident after district collector Srikesh B. Lathkar sent a report. According to the collector, five persons were killed and one critically injured. Two of the deceased were identified as residents of Assam based on the identity cards found on them. Efforts were on to identify the remaining deceased. They are also believed to be from other states. The chief minister said though the deceased belonged to other states, an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each should be paid to their families on humanitarian ground The injured person was brought to Srikakulam by the same train and was admitted to RIMS Hospital. The district collector visited the hospital to ensure that the injured get the best treatment.