The Puri-Haridwar-Kalinga Utkal Express derailed barely 100 km from Delhi
Highlights
- 14 coaches of Utkal Express derail near Khautali, about 100km from Delhi
- Train was headed from Puri in Odisha to Haridwar in Uttarakhand
- The accident took place around 5.46 p.m in Khautali in Muzaffarnagar
At least 23 people have died and over 72 injured after 14 coaches of the
Utkal Express ran off the tracks in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday evening.
The
accident took place around 5:46 pm in Khatauli in Muzaffarnagar, about 100 kilometres from New Delhi. The train was headed from Puri in Odisha to Haridwar in Uttarakhand, a journey of about 36 hours. Television footage showed coaches piled on top of others while
one carriage crashed into a house on the side of the tracks.
Rescuers from the National Disaster Response Force or NDRF and various divisions of the police worked for hours with gas cutters and cranes to find survivors. A large number of local residents were also seen helping out in rescue work. At around 11 pm, Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu tweeted that the rescue operations have been completed and all the injured have been shifted to hospitals.The minister said he has ordered an inquiry into the accident. "Strict action will be taken against any lapse," the minister tweeted.
A team of the anti-terror squad or ATS of the police was sent to the accident site to conduct a preliminary inquiry. Authorities, however, maintain there has been nothing yet to suggest foul play in the accident.
Police, national and state rescue teams were rushed to the area.
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath spoke to principal secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar and the Muzaffarnagar district magistrate and directed them to ensure prompt rescue and relief operations at Khatauli.
Local residents of Khatauli town were the first ones to reach the passengers and pulled out many survivors. A 40-year-old woman, one of the many rescued by residents, said she was travelling in an upper berth. "There was a loud noise," she said. The screams and cries for help followed. "I still can't find my aunt," the woman said.
The incident took place in Khatauli in Muzaffarnagar, around 100 km from New Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted to express his condolences for the families of those killed.The accident hit train services on the busy Northern Railway route. The Railways has announced a compensation of Rs. 3.5 lakh for the family of those killed, Rs. 50,000 for those seriously injured and Rs. 25,000 for people with minor injuries. The governments of Uttar Pradesh and Odisha also announced compensation for the victims.
Railways has also released helpline numbers for updates on the accident.The Uttar Police also released helpline numbers in the wake of the tragedy.The accident comes less than a year after the Indore-Patna Express derailed near Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh in November last year, leaving over 100 dead.