More than 40 people have been injured after 15 coaches of the Sealdah-Ajmer Express derailed near Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh this morning.
Eight of the passengers brought out of the wrecked coaches are believed to be in a critical state, confirmed senior police officer Zaki Ahmed..
In dense early morning fog, the coaches of the 12987 Sealdah-Ajmer Express went off track when the train was crossing a bridge over a dry canal, nearly 70 km from Kanpur. Two coaches toppled off the bridge and fell into the canal bed.The accident took place around 5.20 am. The cause is not known yet.
A passenger said he was woken up by a loud bang. “Our coach tilted to one side. I jumped out and saw a few coaches were derailed,” one of the travelers told media. “Immediate medical help being provided to the injured. Mobilized resources,directed all concerned to ensure rescue and relief,” tweeted Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu.
“Thorough investigation will be carried out to ascertain the cause,” Mr Prabhu said in another tweet, adding that he was personally monitoring the efforts.
