At least 37 Hindu pilgrims including women
and children have been killed and many more people have been injured when the Rajya Rani Express train runs over pilgrims
while they were trying to cross the rail track at the Dhamara railway station in Bihar’s Khagaria District.
The accident took place when
pilgrims were trying to cross the railway track after alighting from a local
train between 8am- 8.30am on 19/08/2013. The express train which runs over pilgrims was travelling from Saharsa to Patna at a speed of 80 km/hour and
the train does not have a scheduled stop at Dhamara station as per railway official.
The Hindu pilgrims were going to nearby Katyani Sthan temple to offer 'jalabhishek' to
Lord Shiva on the fourth and final Monday of the holy month of Shrawan.
When the accident took place, angry by local residents and
pilgrims set ablaze six bogies of the train, brutally assaulted its driver and
took several railway officials hostage.
