Chennai: At least 39 passengers of a Mangalore-bound express train were injured on Friday after its five coaches derailed near Cuddalore district, about 200 kilometres from here.
Police and railway officials said that the mishap occurred around 2 am after five coaches of Chennai-Mangalore Express derailed at Puvanur in Vriddhachalam.
Railways spokesperson Anil Saxena said the Mangalore-bound train will be given green signal for its journey after detaching the affected coaches.
One person was seriously injured, three others received simple injuries and 35 injured were given medical aid on spot, added Saxena. The injured were being treated at the government hospital in Virudhachalam.
Relief operation is going on in full swing and the Railway Minister (Suresh Prabhu) is monitoring the situation, assured Saxena.
Officials from the railways, police and district administration have visited the accident site, an official said.
Special buses for Trichy, Salem, were arranged to carry passengers who were not willing to continue the train journey.
The mishap led to the disruption of the train services on the busy route for sometime.
However, trains were later operated on alternative route but they were running late, an official said.
Meanwhile, an official of education department travelling in the train complained that he had lost around Rs 150,000 official cash after the accident.
