6th JUNE 1981

On this day in 1981 a railway disaster occurred when a train travelling between Mansi and Saharsa, India, commonly called the Bihar line, derailed whilst crossing a bridge, falling into the Bagmati river below.

It is estimated that between 500 and 800 passengers died. After five days over 200 bodies were recovered. The remainder of passengers were missing, feared to have washed away by the river.

What is perhaps most interesting is the cause of the derailment. No one cause is conclusive as the cause of the disaster. There are those sources (websites and such) who say that it was because of a cyclone. Others believe it was flash flooding. Another site believed that it was brake failure while trying to avoid hitting a water buffalo or a cow.

All of this is beside the point though, because regardless of whether or not the train derailed due to a cow or a cyclone, the Bihar train crash remains one of the worst railway disasters in India and quite possibly the world.



Image available:http://43blogtips.com/2011/08/worst-train-accidents-in-india/