Four persons were killed and over two dozen injured when five bogies of the Howrah-Dehra Dun Doon Express capsized and three bogies jumped the track near the Mehrawan station in Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh on Thursday. The accident occurred around 1.20 p.m.
The accident site, which comes under the Sarai Khwaja police station area in Jaunpur, is about 260 km from Lucknow and 70 km from Varanasi.
Inspector-General of Police (Law and Order) Badri Prasad Singh told reporters in Lucknow that four persons were killed and 35 injured, 20 of them seriously. The injured were admitted to the Jaunpur district hospital.
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Police officials ruled out the possibility of sabotage.
The IG said considering that the engine and some bogies broke away from the rest of the train, prima facie it appeared that technical fault led to the accident.
Sources in the railways said coach numbers S-4, S-5, S-6, S-7 and SE-1 overturned, while three bogies, including the SLR coach, jumped the track but stood still. Reports from Jaunpur, quoting eyewitness accounts, said wheels of many coaches were broken.
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Relief trains from Varanasi and Lucknow reached the Mehrawan station for taking the passengers to their destination. The IG said rescue operations had been launched by railway, police and administrative officials. People from nearby villages also joined in the endeavour.