2 loco pilots, passengers injured in collision between two trains in Punjab’s Sirhind; 29 trains affected

Surinder Bhardwaj

Fatehgarh Sahib, June 2

Two loco pilots and some passengers were injured while others had a narrow escape when a stationary goods train was hit from behind by another at the New Sirhind Railway Station on Sunday morning.

The collision caused the engine of one of them to flip over to another track and hit a passenger train, railway officials said. 

The injured loco pilots were rushed to the Civil Hospital, Fatehgarh Sahib. After first aid, they were referred to Rajindra Hospital in Patiala. The loco pilots were identified as Vikas Kumar, 37, and Himanshu Kumar, 31, both residents of Saharanpur.

According to railway authorities, a goods train carrying coal to Ropar Thermal Plant was stationed at the New Sirhind Railway Station. Meanwhile, another goods train, also carrying coal, rammed into the stationary goods train causing the engine of one of them to flip over to another track and hit a passenger train— Calcutta-Jammu Tawi special summer train (04681).

The bogies of both the goods trains and the engine of the passenger train were badly damaged in the collision. The loco pilots were taken out after breaking the windowpanes. Some of the passengers also suffered minor injuries and were given first aid.

The collision hit train services on the Ludhiana-Ambala route, affecting 29 trains .

Railway teams are engaged in restoring the traffic. Senior railways officials have reached the spot and supervising the restoration work.

As per Ambala division officials, the goods train derailed between Sadhugarh and Sirhind disrupting the movement of trains on the route. The trains are being diverted from Rajpura, Patiala, Dhuri and Chandigarh, the officials said.

Control room numbers shared by the division are:

9817289409 (Sadhugarh)

0171-2610757

0171-2610653

7496902172