At least 10 passengers were killed and around 20 injured when the Delhi-bound Goa Samparkranti Express rammed into the stationary Mewar Express near here in the wee hours today.
The Goa Express hit the Mewar Express from behind at 4:50 AM, Rajesh Vajpayee, CPRO North-Central Railway, told PTI.
An unreserved compartment of the Mewar Express was damaged in the accident that took place between Mathura and Vrindavan.
Divisional Railway Manager, Agra, R D Tripathi, who was at the spot, said prima facie the train driver of the Goa Express was at fault.
Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has ordered an inquiry into the mishap.
The toll is likely to go up as some passengers are trapped in the damaged bogey. Among the trapped are children.
"Some passengers are trapped and are being rescued," Sri Prakash, member, traffic, Railway Board said.
Asked how many people were trapped inside, he said, "We really don't know. Senior officers are supervising the operations and we have also taken the help of civil authorities and army personnel".
Railway authorities were using gas cutters and foam cutters to extricate the trapped passengers from the damaged bogey. Army personnel have also reached the spot and are helping in the rescue work.
"Fifteen injured passengers have been taken out from the general coach of Mewar Express after cutting the bogey," District Magistrate Dinesh Chandra Shukla said.
Banerjee has announced an ex-gratia of Rs five lakh to the next of the kin of the deceased.
The seriously injured passengers will receive Rs 1 lakh and those with minor injuries will get Rs 10,000.
UP Agriculture Minister Laxminarain Choudhry also announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the family of the deceased besides a job.
Giving an account of the mishap, a passenger said, "We felt a strong impact. We were sitting and people from the upper berth fell upon is and we ran out of the train".
Railways have set up helpline numbers at Mathura and Agra for the convenience of the public -- 0565-2402008 and 0562-24211041.The helpline numbers for Delhi and Udaipur are 011-2340020 and 0294-2487390.
In the wake of the accident, Northern Railway has cancelled the Agra Nizamuddin inter-city express and diverted few other trains including the Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express, Andhra Pradesh Express and Karnataka Express.They are being diverted via Tundla.
However, train services between Delhi and Agra have been restored.
