Siliguri, June 17 (HBTV): Extending his condolences to the families of the people killed in Kanchanjungha Express train accident in West Bengal's Darjeeling district, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the collision as saddening. He wished the injured a speedy recovery. PM said that he has spoken to officials to take stock of the situation and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is also headed to the site.

The Prime Minister wrote in a post on X, "The railway accident in West Bengal is saddening. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. Spoke to officials and took stock of the situation. Rescue operations are underway to assist the affected. The Railways Minister Shri @AshwiniVaishnaw Ji is on the way to the site of the mishap as well."

The Prime Minister's Office has also announced a compensation of ₹ 2 lakh each to the families of the dead and ₹ 50,000 to the injured.

Eight people - including three Railway staffers - were killed and at least 25 were injured after the Kanchanjunga Express, headed to Sealdah in Kolkata from Silchar in Assam was hit from the rear by a goods train near Rangapani station, close to New Jalpaiguri around 8.55 am. The goods train had overshot a signal.