Aurangabad-Hyderabad passenger train derails, no casualties

SCR GM orders probe, sabotage suspected; restoration work completed by afternoon.

Two bogies moved away from the tracks and into the nearby field by about 10 metres.

Three bogies and the engine of Aurangabad-Hyderabad passenger derailed between Sangam and Kalgapur in the Bhalki taluk of Bidar district in Karnataka in the early hours of Friday. There were no casualties.

A passenger from Maharashtra sustained minor injuries. In the mishap, the engine and three bogies slipped off the tracks into a nearby field. Passengers in the general compartment said their luggage fell to the floor.

“Passengers said those who were sleeping were woken up with a jolt,” said Raju Swamy, a resident of Bhalki, who had gone to the spot.

A South Central Railway (SCR) press release said all passengers were safely moved to Hyderabad. Helplines were set up in Hyderabad (040-23200865), Parli (02446-223540) and Vikharabad (08416-252013), and Bidar railway station (08482-226329), to handle enquiries from anxious relatives.

Senior SCR officials, including General Manager Vinod Kumar Yadav, reached the spot. Mr. Yadav ordered a high-level probe into the incident.

Investigation on

Our Hyderabad Special Correspondent writes:

Even as the General Manager ordered a probe, officials began their investigation and found that the switch expansion joint, plate screws, nuts and brackets of the track were found open. The absence of any damage marks on them made them strongly suspect sabotage.

Personnel from the Railway Police and Karnataka Police, with the help of a canine squad, launched their own investigation, acting upon the suspicious conditions seen at the spot. After receiving the police clearance, restoration work will be completed and normalcy in the section will be restored, said an SCR release.

A press release on Friday evening said restoration work was completed at 4 p.m. and the first train, carrying material passed the restored length of the track at 4.12 p.m.