Kanpur : At least 63 are people feared killed and over 150 others injured when Patna bound 19321 Indore -Rajendranagar express train derailed near Pukhraya station in Kanpur Dehat district today. Additional Director general of police (law and order) Daljeet Choudhury said that death toll has risen to 68 and over 150 injured passengers have been admitted to different hospitals in Kanpur. However, some officials and even the eye-witnesses says that the death toll could even cross 100 mark as several bodies are still lying inside the bogies while condition of several injured are critical. NDRF teams have been pressed in the service to bring out the dead or alive passengers out of the mangled bogies. The rescue team had to use cutters and other equipements to bring out the passengers from the overturned bogies. Railway minister Suresh Prabhu has ordered a probe into the incident while his deputy Manoj Sinha has rushed to the spot. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted,”Anguished beyond words on the loss of lives due to the derailing of the Patna-Indore express. My thoughts are with the bereaved families.” The Prime Minister has also directed the Railway Minister to personally monitor the situation closely. Mr Prabhu in his tweets said, “All rescue relief work on to deal with unfortunate accident. All medical and other help rushed.Enquiry ordered. Situation monitored closely”. According to sources of the North -Central railway, Jhansi Division, under whose jurisdiction the accident occurred, 14 coaches of Indore- Rajendra Nagar Express, which derailed are seating-cum-luggage rake, GS, GS, A1, B1, B2, B3, BE, S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has directed the DGP to personally monitor the relief operations after 14 coaches of Patna-Indore Express derailed near Kanpur. Mr Yadav has asked ADG(L&O) and other officials to rush to the spot. Senior railway officials have also reached the spot to take stock of the situation.Senior officials and medical teams have been rushed to the spot. Stranded passengers moved to the nearby Malasa stationn from where they will be taken to their onward journey. The derailment occurred at around 0310 hrs when the train was going towards Kanpur station . Of the 14 coaches derailed, four were tumbled on each other including two air condition coaches. Most of the casualties were from these four coaches which included S1, S2, BE and B3. According to Railway official, relief and rescue operations were underway and senior officials and medical teams from Kanpur, Allahabad and Jhansi have been rushed to the spot. Besides, the Railways were in contact with district officials. The Railways had also issued helpline numbers — Jhansi-05101072, Orai-051621072, Kanpur-05121072 and Pokhrayan-05113-270239. Meanwhile several long distance express and passenger trains between Jhansi and Kanpur has been diverted or cancelled due to the accident. (Agencies)
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