Eight coaches of the Lucknow-bound Meerut-Lucknow Rajya Rani Express derailed near Rampur station in Uttar Pradesh at 8 a.m. on Saturday. It occurred between Rampur and the Mundapanda railway station, near a bridge over the Koshi river. The accident led to huge traffic disruption as the route connects Delhi to Lucknow via Moradabad.
Over a dozen trains were either diverted or cancelled. Railway officials said traffic would be normalised only by 11 p.m. on Saturday. Thirteen people, including eight women, were injured.
They were admitted in the Rampur district hospital. Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu tweeted that he was personally monitoring the situation. He also tweeted that “an enquiry has been ordered into the incident and strict action will be taken against defaulters, if any.” According to the district officials of Rampur, the injured were in shock but their condition was stable.
The U.P. government announced ₹50,000 for each of the injured.
The Railways has ordered a probe. According to K.K. Chaudhary, Superintendent of Police, Rampur, “The sabotage angle cannot be ruled out as a three-foot-long railway track was missing.”
