Fifteen coaches of the Sealdah-Ajmer express derailed near Kanpur early on Wednesday, killing two people and injuring 26 others.
Train no. 12987 Sealdah-Ajmer Express went off the tracks between Rura and Metha railway stations, about 50km from Kanpur, the ministry of railways said on Twitter.
The incident comes just a month after over 140 people were killed and more than 200 injured when 14 coaches of the Indore-Patna Express train derailed in Kanpur Dehat district of Uttar Pradesh on November 20.
Live updates:
Helpline numbers
- Lucknow : 0522-2237677, 25507 26245, 9794830973
- Sultanpur: 05362-227709
- Varanasi: 0542-2503814, 032-62733
- Kanpur: 0512-2323015, 2323016, 2323018
- Allahabad: 0532-2408149, 2408128, 2407353
- Tundla: 05612-220337, 220338, 220339
- Aligarh: 0571-2404056, 2404055
8.35am: Officers engaged in rescue operation tell Hindustan Times that two of the fifteen derailed bogies have fallen in the nearby canal while one is lying on the platform at Rura Station. However, they said the bogies are not that badly damaged as they were in case of Indore-Patna train accident last month.
Two of the fifteen derailed bogies fell in the nearby canal (HT Photo)
8.25am: Two persons killed, 26 injured: Kanpur inspector Zaki Ahmad general tells PTI
8.05am: Railway minister Suresh Prabhu tweets: We are working with hospitals and district administration to offer all possible help. We are making alternate arrangements for passengers to continue with their onward journey and are thus taken care of.
Stranded passengers and locals at the spot of accident (HT Photo)
7.58: Indian Railways spokesperson Anil Saxena tells news agency ANI: “As per preliminary reports 15 coaches of the train got derailed. The first five and the last three coaches were intact.”
7.53am: Rescue operations on. Sixteen rushed from the spot to the hospital.
7.45am: Railways minister Suresh Prabhu says he is “personally monitoring the situation”; has asked senior officials and directed all concerned to ensure rescue and relief.
“Thorough investigation will be carried out to ascertain the cause,” Suresh Prabhu says.
Ex gratia will be paid to injured . All passengers are being provided with necessary assistance to ensure least inconvenience.Doing our best
— Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu)December 28, 2016
7.40am: Indian Railways says accident relief train (ART) with accident relief medical equipment (ARME) have been sent for rescue operations.
6.45am: First visuals of the accident come in. According to initial reports, 14 coaches of the train derailed.
#WATCH 14 coaches of Train no 12988 #AjmerSaeldah express derail near Roora (Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh). Several injured. pic.twitter.com/s3VRDUavlu
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP)December 28, 2016
Dec 28, 5.20am: Train no. 12987 Sealdah-Ajmer Express derails between Rura and Metha railway stations near Kanpur.
Read | A train mishap is waiting at every corner: What ails the Indian Railways
Source: HindustanTimes