23 dead as 14 coaches of Utkal Express derail in Muzaffarnagar

Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, August 19

Twenty-three persons were killed and around 40 injured after 14 coaches of the Haridwar-bound 18477 Utkal Express derailed at Khatauli railway station, 25 km from Muzaffarnagar in western Uttar Pradesh on Saturday.

The Uttar Pradesh DGP's office confirmed that 23 persons were killed in the train accident while 40 were injured.

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"The injured passengers will be given complete treatment. Directions have been issued for all possible assistance," CM Yogi Adityanath said in a tweet earlier.

रेल हादसे में घायल यात्रियों का समुचित इलाज होगा, हर संभव मदद पहुंचाने के निर्देश दे दिए गए है।

— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) August 19, 2017

ADG (Law and Order) Anand Kumar confirmed the accident and said preliminary reports say that a few bogies have crashed into the houses near the tracks.

Kumar has asked DSP, Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), Anoop Singh to reach the accident site to investigate the derailment from terror angle.

The accident occurred at 5.45 pm. The train was to reach its destination of Haridwar at 9 pm.

The mishap site is a stone’s throw from the Khatauli Kotwali police station. 

Maintaining that he was personally monitoring the situation, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said he had instructed chairman, Railway Board, and Member (Traffic) to oversee rescue and relief operations.

“Medical vans have been rushed to the site and all efforts are being made to ensure speedy relief and rescue operations,” Prabhu said.

An inquiry has been ordered to ascertain cause of accident. Strict action to be taken against any lapse, Prabhu added.

Have instructed Chairman Rly Board,Member Traffic to oversee rescue and relief operations.I am personally monitoring situation

— Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) August 19, 2017

Refusing to hazard a guess at the cause of the accident, ADG Kumar said saving lives was his priority at the moment.

#WATCH: Visuals from the train derailment site in Muzaffarnagar's Khatauli; 6 coaches have derailed. More details awaited #UttarPradesh pic.twitter.com/AiNdfKV7oS

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 19, 2017

“The local police has already reached the spot and started the rescue work,” said the ADG.

The SSPs and DMs of Meerut, Saharanpur as well as Muzaffarnagar have been asked to rush to the spot and arrange for as many ambulances – government and private, to rescue the passengers.

He said the first priority is to rescue the passengers and provide them medical attention.

“The main concern is to make ambulances and lighting arrangements at the accident site so that the rescue operation can continue,” said Anand Kumar. — With agency inputs