Mahakaushal Express derailment: Crack in the tracks likely caused accident, inquiry ordered

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had directed state Health Minister Siddharth Nath Singh to visit the accident site.

Banda: At least 52 passengers were injured, 10 of them seriously, as eight bogies of the Mahakaushal Express derailed early Thursday in neighbouring Mahoba in Uttar Pradesh.

Railways have ordered an inquiry into the derailment which left 400 metres of track damaged. The mishap disrupted rail traffic on the route with services of 14 trains disrupted, railway officials said.

Reports say the accident could be the result of a sabotage. An Anti-Terrorism Squad team is present at the derailment site along with National Investigation Agency (NIA) personnel.

Notably, investigations into the recent spate of derailments and train accidents in the country had revealed that they were terror attacks.

In Lucknow, ADG (Law and Order) Daljit Chaudhary said the incident took place at around 2.20 am when eight bogies of the train, which runs between Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh and Hazrat Nizamuddin in New Delhi, derailed, injuring some 52 people of which two suffered "serious fractures" and have been referred to a Jhansi hospital

Chaudhary said prima facie there was nothing suspicious but all aspects will be investigated as it is a serious issue.

SP (Mahoba) Gaurav Singh said the incident took place between Mahoba and Kulpahad railway stations near Supa village.

Talking to media, UP Health Minister Siddharth Nath Singh said that it seems that a portion of the track broke due to welding. The reason of which will be investigated, added Singh, who rushed to the spot.

He also announced that the UP government will give the monetary assistance of Rs 50,000 each to the seriously injured and Rs 25,000 to those who suffered minor injuries.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha said that a crack in the tracks prima facie caused the derailment.

Speaking on the sidelines of a function, Sinha said: “According to the Divisional Railway Manager, prima facie fresh weld failure on left side caused the derailment.”

Fresh weld means it was not an old crack and that the crack developed suddenly and could not be detected.

Railway Board member (Traffic) Mohd Jamshed told news agency PTI in New Delhi that an inquiry into the derailment will be conducted by a senior railway official.

Asked whether it was an act of sabotage or any defect in the rolling stock led to the mishap, he said, "Nothing can be ruled out till the report is submitted."

On some recent cases involving security around rail tracks in different parts of the state, the ADG said investigations proved there was no terror link but all cases are being thoroughly probed with the help of experts.

Earlier this morning, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had directed state Health Minister Siddharth Nath Singh to visit the accident site.

The health minister said he was personally monitoring the rescue and relief efforts.

Thirty doctors and 21 ambulances were rushed to the accident site, the minister said.

The rescue operation was conducted by 47-member National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team.

The SP said relief and rescue operations are on in full swing and two helpline numbers have been activated for the help of passengers and their family members. The numbers are 05101072 and 051921072.

The coaches that derailed included four air-conditioned coaches, one sleeper, two general and one SLR (Seating cum Luggage Rake) coach.

The coaches were conventional ones and manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai. Though a few coaches tumbled, they did not climb over each other as it happens in such cases, resulting in minimum damage.

The train with 10 coaches left the accident site at 6.48 am. Railways have pressed 15 buses into service for carrying about 200 passengers, who were travelling in affected coaches, to Jhansi.

The derailment has affected services of 14 trains, out of which seven were diverted and an equal number of trains cancelled.

Jamshed said the line is expected to be restored by midnight as the damaged section of the track has to be replaced.

Earlier in 2017, 41 passengers died and over 60 were injured after nine coaches of the Hirakhand Express derailed in Andhra Pradesh's Vizianagaram district.

In November 2016, at least 150 people died and over 300 were injured after 14 coaches of the Patna-Indore Express derailed near Kanpur on November 20.

(With Agency inputs)