3 die, 9 injured as train derails in Chitrakoot district of UP

Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, November 24

Three passengers were killed and nine others injured when 13 coaches of Patna-bound Vasco Da Gama Express derailed at Manikpur railway station in Chitrakoot district in Bundelkhand early on Friday morning.

The accident happened at around 4.22 am on platform number 2 of Manikpur railway station where 13 coaches of train number 12741 Vasco Da Gama Express derailed. They were coaches from S-3 to S-11, two general coaches and three extra coaches.

Relief operation immediately started and seven of the injured were taken to the Manikpur Community Health Centre while another two were referred to the district hospital in Chitrakoot.

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According to Allahabad Zone ADG SN Sawat, the two of the three deceased passengers have been identified as Ram Swarup Patel and his son Dipak Patel, residents of Betia in West Champaran district of Bihar. The third passenger who succumbed to his injuries at a hospital is yet to be identified.

ADG Law and Order Anand Kumar said that prima facie rupture in the tracks appeared to be the cause of the accident.

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has ordered an inquiry into the incident and announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the deceased, Rs 1 lakh to those with grievous injuries and Rs 50,000 for the injured.

In a tweet he said: “Immediate rescue and relief operations started and an inquiry ordered into the derailment of Vasco Da Gama-Patna Express at Manikpur, UP. My sincere condolences to the families of the deceased.”