Australian among 7 charred to death in Jharkhand train fire

Giridih (Jharkhand, India), Nov 22 (PTI) Seven passengers, including an Australian woman, were charred to death when a fire broke out in two AC coaches of the Dehradun bound Howrah-Dehradun Express from Kolkata in Giridih district in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand early today, with India's Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi stating that involvement of "miscreants" cannot be ruled out. Three other Australian women passengers suffered minor injuries and were admitted to the Railway Divisional Hospital. The fire, which broke out at around 3:00 am in B-1 AC coach and then spread to B-2 AC coach, was spotted between Gomo and Nimiaghat Railway stations about 300 kilometres northwest of Kolkata, Railway Protection Force Divisional Commandant Sashi Kumar told PTI. "One Australian woman was among the seven passengers who died in the fire," Divisional Railway Manager (Dhanbad Division) Sudhir Kumar told PTI over phone. The four women Australian research scholars were travelling to the Buddhist holy city of Bodh Gaya from Kolkata. Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi told reporters outside Parliament in New Delhi, "Let us wait for the inquiry report. Involvement of miscreants cannot be ruled out at this stage. But I am not speculating anything. According to the initial report, a person came with some smelly substance, then smoke came out." The Railway Minister also announced ex-gratia of Rupees 500,000 (about USD 10,000) lakh each for the next of kin of those killed in the fire and Rs 25,000 (USD 500) for the passengers of the two affected coaches. Commissioner, Railway Safety, Eastern Circle, has been asked to conduct the inquiry into the accident and submit the report at the earliest. Train operations on the route were restored around 7:50 AM local time, officials said. PTI