At least two passengers were injured when eight coaches of a passenger train derailed near Rampur in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday morning, in the sixth train accident so far this year. A probe has been ordered.
Railway officials said the Rajya Rani Express train was bound to Lucknow from Meerut when a portion of it derailed around 8.15 a.m. between Mundapandey and Rampur, near a bridge over the Kosi river.
"Only two passengers have received injuries," Northern Railway spokesperson Neeraj Sharma said in a statement.
The injured persons were rushed to a nearby hospital. At least 25 trains were affected due to the accident on the Meerut-Bareilly section.
Sharma said the railway authorities arranged buses for stranded passengers for their onward journey to their destinations.
Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu said he was "personally monitoring (the) situation" and "directed senior officers to rush to the spot (to) ensure speedy relief and rescue operations".
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"Enquiry ordered to look into the cause. Strict action will be taken against any lapse," the Minister tweeted, and announced finanical assistance of Rs 50,000 for the injured,
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also announced financial assistance of Rs 50,000 each to those seriously injured and Rs 25,000 each to those suffering minor injuries.
This is the sixth accident to hit the Indian railways this year.
On January 22, more than 40 passengers died and over 50 were injured when the Hirakhand Express derailed near Vizianagaram in Andhra Pradesh.
A month later three coaches and the engine of Kalindi Express derailed after colliding with a goods train at the Tundla Junction in Uttar Pradesh. The two trains were running on the same track. But nobody was injured.
On March 17, four women were killed after a train rammed into an ambulance at an unmanned level crossing in Karnataka.
Nearly two weeks later, some 52 people were injured after eight coaches of the Jabalpur-Nizamuddin Mahakaushal Express derailed near Kulpahar railway station in Uttar Pradesh.
A goods train engine got derailed between Madpur and Jakpur in Howrah-Kharagpur section in West Bengal. There were no injuries though.
--IANS
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