It was like watching an animated movie- passenger

CHENNAI: Most of the survivors of the Arakkonam train tragedy, in which 10 people were killed on Tuesday night, admitted to the Government General Hospital, Chennai, were travelling by the Arakkonam-Katpadi passenger train.

R Sujatha, a 28-year-old survivor who was travelling by the last bogie of the Arakkonam-Katpadi passenger train sustained injuries on her forehead and nose said the incident was like watching an animated movie.

"Everything blacked out and it felt like the earth has caved in. My husband kicked the door open and we crept out," she said.

Vinod, a 23-year-old undergoing treatment at the hospital said he felt a thud when the train was moving. "I instantly realized that I was bleeding and many would have been critically injured," he said.

Railway minister Dinesh Trivedi announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the relatives of the dead, Rs 1 lakh for those with grievous injuries and Rs 25,000 for those with simple injuries.

The EMU (Electrical Multiple Unit) that rammed the rear side of the Arakkonam-Katpadi passenger train, killing 10 people and injuring more than 70 people, was overspeeding, Dinesh Trivedi said.

Visiting 36 victims of the accident at the Government General Hospital, Chennai, Trivedi said preliminary reports showed that the motorman violated signals "We still do not know why he did that. A detailed inquiry will be conducted," he said.

Government General Hospital medical superintendent V Palani said that all the patients were out of danger. "Nine of them including motorman, Raj Kumar, sustained grievous injuries," he said.

Palani said the hospital was prepared to take the patients after state health minister V S Vijay called him at 1am on Wednesday.

"Following the call, we mobilized 25 doctors, 50 nurses and some medical and nursing students," said Palani. "The patients arrived at 2.45am," he added.