Raebareli: At least six persons died and more than 60 others injured on Wednesday after nine coaches and the engine of New Farakka Express train heading to New Delhi from Malda town in West Bengal derailed near Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh in the wee hours of Wednesday.


COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

Confirmed the casualties, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Anand Kumar said, ''At least people have died in the incident and several others injured.'' 


Heavy duty gas cutters were being used to extricate the bodies and all those still trapped in the damaged coaches.


A senior Railway Ministry official had earlier said that five coaches and the engine of the New Farakka Express derailed near Harchandpur in Raebareli around 6.05 AM. 


He later put the toll at six and added that four more coaches had derailed. 


More than 60 people have been inured and rushed to the district hospital in Raebareli. 


The death toll is expected to rise as several have been critically injured.


Rescue operations are being handled by National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams from Allahabad and Varanasi, which were rushed to the scene of the accident.


An NDRF team from Lucknow is also expected shortly.


At least 13 trains have been diverted or terminated following the accident.


Addition Chief Secretary (Information) Avaneesh Awasthi said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was apprised of the situation. He has spoken to the district officials and senior police officers. 


The authorities have been directed to ensure prompt relief and rescue operations.


Chairman of the Railway Board Ashwani Lohani would be visiting the accident site.


According to the passengers, the train derailed after a loud noise. People from nearby villages were first responders on the accident site.


Railways has also ordered a probe to ascertain the cause of the derailment.   


Emergency helpline numbers have been issued to help those seeking more information regarding the mishap and their relatives who were onboard the ill-fated train.



Emergency helpline number set up at Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction: BSNL-05412-254145; Railway - 027-73677. 


Emergency helpline numbers set up at Patna Station: BSNL- 0612-2202290, 0612 - 2202291, 0612 - 220229; Railway - 025-83288