Utkal Express Derailment in muzaffarnagar Uttar Pradesh

Utkal Express Derailment in muzaffarnagar Uttar Pradesh on 19/08/2017

At least 23 persons were killed and around 400 injured when 14 coaches of the Puri-Haridwar Utkal Express derailed on Saturday evening at Khatauli, near Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh police officials said. It was 5.46 p.m. on Saturday when the Haridwarbound train derailed immediately after it crossed the Khatauli station. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel told The Hindu that the number of dead could rise as several passengers were still trapped in the wreckage. Officials said 100 persons were seriously injured. Rescue operations have slowed down after darkness. The Railway Ministry is yet to comment on the reason for the accident. Of 14 derailed coaches, three were third AC coaches and the rest were sleeper coaches.

Sudden brakes

Senior Railway Ministry officials present on the spot told The Hindu that “though the investigation is yet to be concluded but preliminary probe suggests that the driver of the Kalinga Express had applied sudden brakes as he found repair works going on the track which led to the accident. Two National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, comprising 45 personnel each, and two canines have been mobilised to the accident site from their base in Ghaziabad. Anti-terrorist squad An accident alert has been issued to all the hospitals in Meerut and the National Capital Region Uttar Pradesh anti-terrorist squad has reached the site too on the instructions of state ADG (law and order) Anand Kumar. Meanwhile Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu announced an ex-gratia of ₹3.5 lakh for kin of dead, ₹ 50,000 for the seriously injured and ₹25,000 for those with minor injuries. Mr Adtiyanath has announced ₹2 lakh for the families of the deceased and ₹ 50,000 for those injured.