Five people were killed and around 50 others injured, when Jammu-bound Muri Express train from Rourkela derailed near Sirathu railway station, about 60 kilometers from Allahabad, in Uttar Pradesh’s Kaushambi district on Monday.
Official sources, however, confirmed only two deaths.
The injured, many of whom were from Jharkhand and Odisha and were travelling in the general compartment, were admitted to the Community Health Centres (CHC) and hospitals at Manjhanpur, Ismailpur and Allahabad, railway officials here said.
Officials said the derailment occurred between Sirathu and Atsarai railway stations at around 12.20 pm. “As many as eight bogies of the train including four sleeper, three air-conditioned and one general coach was derailed,” they said.
Officials confirmed only two deaths but the eye witnesses said that four bodies were taken out from the ill-fated train while a lady succumbed to her injuries in the hospital.
The officials said that rescue teams had reached the spot and the relief and rescue work were being undertaken. Eye witnesses said that the locals were the first to reach the site and launch rescue operations.
The derailment brought movement of trains on the busy Howrah-Delhi route between Allahabad and Kanpur to a complete halt with several long distance trains stranded at different stations, sources said.
“Both up and down lines were affected owing to the derailment,” said an official here.
Railways and Uttar Pradesh government announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs two lakh each to the kin of the deceased.
Officials said that a probe had been ordered into the derailment and stern action will be taken in case laxity on the part of the railway staff was proved. Sources, however, also did not rule out sabotage.
Sources said that the officials had recovered a jack (an equipment to raise the vehicles) from near the tracks near Sirathu railway station on Sunday.
It is the second train derailment in UP this year. 38 people were killed and 150 others injured when Varanasi-bound Janata Express train had derailed near Bacharwan railway station on March 20 this year.