Over 100 Dead after Indore-Patna Express derails near Kanpur today

Mangalore Today News Network

Kanpur, Nov 20, 2016:  Over 100 passengers were killed and 150 injured on Sunday when 14 coaches of the Indore-Patna express train derailed near Pukhrayan area in Kanpur Dehat district, with railways officials saying the number of casualties could rise.

The incident took place at around 3 am near Pukhrayan, about 100 kms from Kanpur.

Railways Ministry spokesperson Anil Saxena said several people have been rushed to nearby hospitals with injuries, and the casualties may go up.

Accident relief train was rushed to the spot, he said. Northern Central Railways spokesperson Vijay Kumar said that doctors and senior railway officials have reached the spot. Rescue and relief operations were being carried out by district administration and railway officials.

Though the cause of the derailment was not known immediately, sources said the nature and timing shows that the accident was caused by a rail fracture. However, the exact reason would be known only after an inquiry.

Buses are pressed into service to help passengers complete their journey, Kumar said.

While Union home Minister Rajnath Singh has instructed Director General of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) O P Singh to rush NDRF teams to Pukhrayan, Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu ordered a probe into the accident.

The officials are expecting that the death toll to rise as the rescue operations are underway.

A DGP-rank officer is monitoring the rescue operations, sources said. Meanwhile, local MPs and MLAs have reached the spot and Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has ordered a probe into the accident.

In his tweet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that he was "anguished beyond words on the loss of lives due to the derailing of the Patna-Indore express".


Helpline Numbers: Patna- 0612-2202290, 0612-2202291, 0612-2202292, 025-83288 | lndore - 0741 1072 | Ujjain - 0734 2560906 | Ratlam - 07412 1072 | Mugalsarai - 05412-251258, 05412-254145 | Hajipur - 06224-272230 | Jhansi - 05101072 | Orai - 051621072 | Kanpur - 05121072 | Pokhrayan - 05113-270239