DHARMAPURI/BENGALURU: Seven coaches of the Kannur-Bengaluru Express (No. 07390) derailed between Thoppur and Sivadi, after boulders fell on the track in the early hours of Friday. Six trains had to be rerouted because of the incident.
According to a statement issued by South Western Railway division, Train No 07390 departed from Kannur on Thursday at 6.05 pm and was en route Bengaluru. As it approached Muthampatti at about 3.50 am, boulders rolled down the cliff resulting in the derailment of seven coaches. All the 2,348 passengers who were on board are safe.
Railway police arrived at the spot and said that the rain may have caused the boulders to move. The loco pilots’ efforts averted a catastrophe. Saina Jaypal, an independent PR consultant, who was travelling to Bengaluru, narrated that she and other passengers in her coach were asleep and woke up to the thud of a boulder hitting their coach.
Thanking the loco pilot for his presence of mind, Saina said the train was not moving at high speed, or else the incident could have been a disaster. Divisional Railway Manager Shyam Singh arrived at the spot along with the Accident Relief Team and began restoration works.