KANPUR/NEW DELHI, Aug 17: Twenty coaches of the Sabarmati Express passenger train derailed near Govindpuri station in Kanpur early Saturday after the engine hit an “object placed on the track”, rail officials said. There is no report of any loss of life or injury in the accident.
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The Varanasi-Ahmedabad train derailed between Kanpur and Bhimsen railway station around 2.35 am. Rescue and relief operations are underway, officials said.
In a post on X, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, “The engine of Sabarmati Express (Varanasi to Amdavad) hit an object on the track and derailed near Kanpur at 02:35 am today.”
“Sharp hit marks are observed. Evidence is protected. IB and UP police are also working on it. No injuries to passengers or staff. Train arranged for passengers for onward journey to Amdavad,” Vaishnaw added.
Railway Board officials said involvement of miscreants or anti-social elements is being looked into as prima facie it appears that the engine hit an object placed on track.
“We found a foreign material near the 16th coach of the train. Looking at the size of the damaged portion of cattle guard of the engine, it seems that the engine hit this foreign object and derailed,” an official said.
“The loco pilot said that some boulder hit the cattle guard (front portion) of the engine which got badly damaged and bent,” another official said.
On same track at 1.20 am, a Patna-Indore train crossed uninterrupted, Railway Board officials said.
The passengers of the Sabarmati Express (19168) were sleeping when the train stopped after a loud noise.
“Shortly after the drain departed from the Kanpur railway station, we heard a loud noise and the coach started shaking. I got very scared but the train stopped,” one of the passengers Vikas told PTI video.
Vikas, who boarded the train from Varanasi and was headed for Ahmedabad, said that the train was moving at a very slow speed when it got derailed.
As the train halted, the passengers started pouring out of their coaches.
Majority of them sat near the railway track waiting for help and called their family members to inform them about the incident.
“The police came almost an hour after the incident. We are waiting with our luggage on the side of the adjacent railway track,” said another passenger.
Uttar Pradesh Relief Commissioner GS Naveen Kumar said, “Buses have been arranged for the passengers along with alternative arrangements for transportation and all passengers have been evacuated from the spot.”
According to the Railways, seven trains have been cancelled and three diverted due to the derailment.
North Central Railway (NCR) senior public relations officer Shashikant Tripathi said that buses were arranged to carry passengers from the accident site to the Kanpur Railway Station.
Besides, an eight coaches MEMU train departed from Kanpur to the accident site to carry passengers back to Kanpur so that further arrangements can be made to send them to their respective destinations, Tripathi said.
The Railways has issued the following helpline numbers:- Prayagraj: 0532-2408128, 0532-2407353, Kanpur: 0512-2323018, 0512-2323015, Mirzapur: 054422200097, Etawah: 7525001249, Tundla: 7392959702, Ahmedabad: 07922113977, Banaras City: 8303994411, Gorakhpur: 0551-2208088.
Besides, the following helpine numbers for Jhansi Rail Division have been released -: Virangana Lakshmibai Jhansi Jn) -0510-2440787 and 0510-2440790. Orai -05162-252206, Banda-05192-227543, Lalitpur Jn – 07897992404.
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