by Pankaj Yadav

NEW DELHI, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Preliminary inquiry into Monday's trains collision has suggested that it occurred due to a "human error", as the driver of the goods train failed to follow the signal and rammed into the passenger train from behind, said Chairperson of the country's Railway Board Jaya Varmamintpoker.

According to her, rescue work had almost completed, and every effort was being done to ensure the best medical treatment for the injured.

As many as eight persons died and around 50 were injured in the trains' collision. The injured were admitted to a local hospital, she added.

According to the chairperson, three Indian Railways' personnel, including the driver of the goods train and two security guards onboard the passengers train, died in Monday's accident, besides the five passengers who succumbed to fatal injuries.

The accident occurred near the Rangapani railway station in Phansidewa area of West Bengal's Darjeeling district at around 9:00 a.m. local time when the goods train crashed into the "Kanchanjunga Express" passenger train.

Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw announced a monetary compensation of 1 million Indian Rupees (around 11,969 U.S. dollars) for each of the deceased, 250,000 Indian Rupees (2,992 dollars) for those who received grievous injuries, and 50,000 Indian Rupees (598 dollars) for the injured.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the minister of railways were on their way to the spot of the accident to take stock of the situation.

Expressing condolences at the loss of human lives, Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X (erstwhile Twitter) his sadness about the railway accident in West Bengal and ordered officials to follow up the situation.■