According to Railway Board Chairperson Jaya Varma Sinha, the collision happened because a goods train disregarded the signal and hit the Kanchanjunga Express, which was on its way to Sealdah from Agartala.

At least 15 passengers lost their lives and 60 others sustained injuries when a goods train collided with the stationary Sealdah-bound Kanchanjunga Express near New Jalpaiguri station in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district on Monday morning. 

A notice to this effect was issued by the senior divisional mechanical engineer (DME), the disciplinary authority in this case.

According to reports, the movement of the train was attributed to the natural downward slope leading towards Pathankot in Punjab.