Lucknow/New Delhi: Ten coaches of Kaifiyat Express heading towards the national capital were derailed early this morning after it collided with a dumper near Auraiya district in Uttar Pradesh; over 20 people have been injured. This is the second rail accident in the state in less than a week.
The train travelling from Azamgarh to Delhi collided with a dumper at a crossing between Acahlada and Pata villages at around 2:50 am, derailing several coaches, a senior police official said.
At least 21 passengers were injured and were rushed to the hospital, a Railways spokesperson said.
In a series of tweets, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said that he was personally monitoring the situation.
Kaifiyat Express travels between Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi and the collision has impacted the train operations on the Delhi-Howrah route.
Railway sources, according to the PTI, said that work for a dedicated freight corridor was going on at the accident site at the time of the incident. The dumper did not belong to the Railways, the sources said
Additional forces and ambulance were rushed to the spot from Auraiya, Etawah and Kannauj, while the National Disaster Response Force or NDRF team from Lucknow was also sent to the accident site to assist the victims. A medical train and a relief train have been dispatched from Allahabad.
Railways has also released helpline numbers for updates on the accident.
This is the second incident in four days. At least 23 people were killed and over 72 injured after 14 coaches of the Utkal Express ran off the tracks in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday evening. Local residents say human error may have caused the accident. The government has ordered an inquiry which is also probing any possible foul play.