Lahore: Two special passenger trains carrying
people headed home for Eid celebrations, collided near this Pakistani city Tuesday, killing two persons and injuring 19
others.
The two special Eid trains collided after one of them had
to unexpectedly stop near the Lahore railway station and the
other hit it from behind.
According to Deputy Inspector General (Pakistan Railways)
Munir Ahmed Chishti, Bahu Mail that was coming from Wazirabad
district had to stop some two kilometres from the Lahore
railway station, after a man committed suicide by jumping in
front of it.
"As the train was stopped there, another special Eid train
- Khyber Mail - coming from Peshawar on the same track hit it
from the rear resulting in the derailing of three bogies of
the Bahu Rail and injuries to several passengers," the DIG
said.
The engine of the Khyber Mail also got damaged completely. He said one passenger and the driver of Khyber Mail were
killed while the condition of five injured was stated to be
critical.
Rescue teams launched the operation and shifted the
injured to Shalimar and Mayo hospitals of the city. They also
cleared the track with the help of railways authorities.
Pakistan Railways General Manager Akhtar Saeed said a high
powered committee had been constituted to probe the incident.
"The committee will fix the responsibility in two weeks,"
he said.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, August 30, 2011, 14:38