Lahore:
Two special passenger trains carrying people headed home for Eid celebrations, collided near this Pakistani city today, killing two persons and injuring 19 others.
The two special Eid trains collided after one of them had to unexpectedly stop near the Lahore railway station and the other hit it from behind.
According to Deputy Inspector General (Pakistan Railways) Munir Ahmed Chishti, Bahu Mail that was coming from Wazirabad district had to stop some two kilometres from the Lahore railway station, after a man committed suicide by jumping in front of it.
"As the train was stopped there, another special Eid train - Khyber Mail - coming from Peshawar on the same track hit it from the rear resulting in the derailing of three bogies of the Bahu Rail and injuries to several passengers," the DIG said.
The engine of the Khyber Mail also got damaged completely. He said one passenger and the driver of Khyber Mail were killed while the condition of five injured was stated to be critical.
Rescue teams launched the operation and shifted the injured to Shalimar and Mayo hospitals of the city.They also cleared the track with the help of railways authorities.
Pakistan Railways General Manager Akhtar Saeed said a high powered committee had been constituted to probe the incident. "The committee will fix the responsibility in two weeks," he said.