Uddhav Thackeray announces Rs 5 lakh compensation for Aurangabad train mishap victims

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister's Office (CMO) on Friday (May 8) announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of those who were killed in the Aurangabad train accident. "Rupees five lakhs each has been announced as ex gratia to families of the deceased in the Karmad (Aurangabad) train accident," said Maharashtra CMO.

BJP leader Ram Kadam expressed condolences on the tragedy, saying "The Aurangabad accident is tragic. The Maharashtra government has not made any arrangements for food for migrant laborers and hence people are forced to walk for miles."

At least 16 migrant labourers were killed when a freight train ran over them between Jalna and Aurangabad, informed Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of South Central Railway (SCR) on Friday. A few others were seriously injured and two escaped unhurt, all of the workers are from Madhya Pradesh. The injured have been shifted to Aurangabad civil hospital. 

The mishap occurred early on Friday in the Nanded Division of South Central Railway in Karmad police station area of the Aurangabad district. As per Railways officials, the migrant labourers, hailing from Madhya Pradesh, were sleeping on the railway track when the accident took place. In a statement released by the Railways, the persons run over are natives of Umarya and Shahdol of Madhya Pradesh and worked at SRG Company in Jalna, Maharashtra. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences at the tragedy in Aurangabad and promised all possible assistance in the matter. Taking to microblogging site Twitter, he wrote: "Extremely anguished by the loss of lives due to the rail accident in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Have spoken to Railway Minister Shri Piyush Goyal and he is closely monitoring the situation. All possible assistance required is being provided."