52 hurt as train derails in UP

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, March 30

As many as 52 persons were injured when seven coaches of the Nizamuddin-bound Jabalpur-Nizamuddin Mahakaushal Express (12189) derailed near Kulpahad station in Mahoba district, 262 km from Lucknow, today. The incident took place around 2.05 am.

Two of the 52 injured suffered fractures and had been admitted to Jhansi Medical College and Hospital, while nine others had been taken to the Mahoba district hospital, said tehsildar Kulpahad Arun Kumar. The remaining were discharged after first aid. He said most of the passengers with minor injuries had left for their onward journey by buses.

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Of the seven coaches, four were AC while the remaining were general compartments. A crack in the rail tracks is prima facie being seen as the cause of the derailment. The Railways has ordered an inquiry into the incident.

ADG (Law and Order) Daljeet Chaudhury said a team of the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) visited the scene to rule out terror angle. He said prima facie there was no evidence to suggest it was the handiwork of terrorists. “Just to be sure, an ATS team had been sent to the accident site,” said the officer.

Mahoba district magistrate Ajay Kumar Singh, Superintendent of Police Gaurav Singh and a railway technical team led by the North Central Railway general manager MC Chauhan visited the scene.

Health Minister Shambhu Nath Singh along senior official Arun Kumar also visited the scene to supervise relief measures.

The state government has announced an ex gratia of Rs 50,000 for the seriously injured and Rs 25,000 for those with minor injuries.

Meanwhile, rail traffic in Bundelkhand came to a halt with dozens of trains being diverted.