Kolkata, Oct 21 : The railways are probing if the emergency chain was pulled to halt the Mewar Express Wednesday, leading the speeding Goa Express to crash into it in Mathura city, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee said here.

"There is prima facie evidence of an incident of chain pulling. We are investigating whether that led to the accident," Banerjee told reporters.

Banerjee said that stringent punishment would be meted out to those found responsible for the collision that killed 23 people.

She announced a payment of Rs. 500,000 to the next of kin of each of those killed, Rs. 100,000 to each of those with serious injuries and Rs. 10,000 to each of those with minor injuries.

Banerjee said if any of those among the dead or with serious injuries came from poor families, one member of the family would get a job in the railways. (IANS)