LUCKNOW: At least three people were dead and nine left injured after thirteen coaches of the Vasco Da Gama-Patna express jumped the rails near Manikpur railway station in Uttar Pradesh today.
Confirming the casualties, Chitrakoot SP Pratap Gopendra Singh said a father-son duo from Bettiah district of Bihar died on the spot while the third person died at a hospital.
"Of those injured, two were serious and admitted to district hospital, Chitrakoot. Seven with minor injuries are being treated at Manikpur," Singh said.
The Patna-bound Vasco Da Gama Express (12741) derailed at 4:18 am, soon after leaving platform number 2 of the Manikpur railway station in Chitrakoot district, about 250 km from Lucknow, he said.
According to ADG (Law and Order), Anand Kumar, prima facie it appears that fractured railway track is the cause of accident as per local assessment.
Providing a breakup of the derailed coaches, North Central Railway PRO Amit Malviya said, the coaches which jumped off the rails were coaches numbered S3-S11, two general coaches and two extra coaches.
"The injured have been rushed to the hospital and officials have left for the spot. Relief operations are underway," North Central Railway PRO Amit Malviya said.
He further said that soon after the accident, a medical train reached the spot and by 5:20 am, an accident relief train was dispatched for the spot.
The divisional railway manager (DRM), Allahabad has already reached the spot while the General Manager, NCR is on his way, he said.
In the aftermath of the derailment, movement of trains was disrupted on the Patna-Allahabad route.
The train derailment in Chitrakoot comes less than 12 hours after a bolero had collided with a passenger train near Lucknow killing four and injuring two.
(with inputs from ANI)