Several coaches derail as boulders hit Kannur-Bengaluru Express; passengers safe

No injuries were reported following the derailment that took place at 3.50am. The train had left Kannur at 6.05pm on Thursday. “All 2,348 passengers are safe,” said South Western Railway officials

Several coaches of the Kannur-Bengaluru Express derailed early on Friday as the running train was hit by falling boulders when it was travelling in the Toppuru-Sivadi section.

Boulders being removed from the accident site after several coaches of the Kannur-Bengaluru Express train derailed on Friday. (HT photo)

No injuries were reported following the derailment that took place at 3.50am. The train had left Kannur at 6.05pm on Thursday.

According to the South Western Railway, after several boulders came crashing down and struck the running train, several coaches were derailed.

Officials said the Divisional Railway Manager of Bengaluru-Shyam Singh, along with a divisional team of senior officers and doctors, reached the spot on an accident relief train (ART) at 4.45am. A team from Tamil Nadu’s Erode Junction also left for the spot on an ART.

“All 2,348 passengers on board are safe. No casualty or injury was reported,” said Aneesh Hegde, the chief public relations officer of South Western Railway.

He said, “A total of 15 buses are being arranged at Toppuru for the convenience of the passengers. Five buses are being arranged at the accident site. Refreshments have been arranged.”

After the accident, the KSR Bengaluru-Ernakulam Superfast Special that was scheduled to leave at 6.10am was diverted to travel via Baiyyappanahali, Bangarapet and Tirupattur.

The Nagercoil Jn-KSR Bengaluru Festival Special, scheduled to arrive at 9.10am, will also be diverted to run via Salem, Tirupattur, Bangarapet and KSR Bengaluru.

The 5.30am scheduled departure at Salem of the Salem-Yesvantpur Express Special is set to be pushed back by three hours.