Four people were killed and dozens injured when nine coaches of the Muri Express train derailed near Sirathu in Uttar Pradesh on Monday, officials said.
Officials said they feared the death toll could rise. Rescue and relief operations were underway at the site of the accident in Kaushambi district, more than 170 km from Lucknow.
The train was going from Tatanagar in Jharkhand to Jammu Tawi in Jammu and Kashmir when three air conditioned coaches, four sleeper coaches, a general coach and the pantry car derailed.
“Eight coaches, besides the pantry car, derailed near Sirathu in Kaushambi district. Relief and rescue efforts have been started and senior officials are on the spot supervising the exercise," said North Central Railways spokesman Vijay Kumar.
The accident disrupted rail traffic on the busy Howrah-New Delhi route, with both up and down tracks being devoted to relief and rescue efforts.
At least eight trains were stopped at different stations following the accident, railway officials said.
At least eight trains were stopped at different stations following the accident, railway officials said.
The railways several helpline numbers –0532-1072 (Allahabad), 5012-1072 (Kanpur) and 0512-2323015, 16, 18 – to provide information to relatives of passengers, officials said.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav announced Rs 2 lakh would be paid as compensation to victims of the derailment.
The accident occurred two days after another train derailed in Assam, injuring the driver and several passengers.