Trapped passengers screaming for help, overturned compartments and luggage strewn across the area — this was the scene at the site of the derailment of Delhi-bound Kalka Mail.
Desperate to get out of the mangled compartments, some of the passengers were seen smashing the window panes as they tried to wriggle to safety.
Fifteen out of the total 24 compartments derailed in the accident of which 10 bore the maximum brunt. Of these, six air-conditioned coaches were affected.
While an AC 3-tier coach had turned turtle, another coach was pushed to its top with the impact of the train speeding at about 108 km per hour.
Two other AC coaches banged against each other and stood almost vertically.
The derailment took place at 12.20 p.m. when the packed train from Howrah reached near Malwan station, about 120 km from Lucknow.
Some of the injured passengers were seen coming out of the train in a dazed state with their clothes torn and wounds all over.
They also appealed to their family members for help through television channels.
A resident of Howrah said it looked like that the driver of the train tried to apply the breaks while at great speed but in vain.
“The train was at its maximum speed. Suddenly we heard a loud bang and we did not know what happened after that. Some villagers pulled me and some others out of the train,” he said.
Eye witnesses said they came out of their houses after hearing a loud noise and pulled as many people they could out of the train.
The villagers also brought water from their houses and gave it to the injured.
Anoop Patel, a local resident, said the villagers did not wait for the rescuers to come to the spot and started helping the passengers.
“I myself pulled three people out of the train. They were screaming for help...,” he said.
