22 dead in train derailment

At least 22 are dead in a train derailment near Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh.

Uttar Pradesh, abbreviated as UP, is an Indian state located in northern India. It was created on April 1, 1937 as the United Provinces, and was renamed Uttar Pradesh in 1950.

Today’s train accident took place around 9:30 am as the train was coming to a stop at the Bachhrawan railway station – 30 km from Rae Bareli.

It was likely that there was a brake failure, news agency ANI quoted railway sources as saying. The engine overshot the signal, two compartments were derailed.

One of the coaches, which was a general compartment, has been crushed by the impact. The other was a guard compartment which is likely to have been vacant. If not for the vacant coach, the number of casualties would have been higher, officials told NDTV.

In a series of tweets, Railway Minister Suresh Parbhu said Railways has been prioritising safety as a “thrust area”. An inquiry has been ordered into the incident, he also said.

The rescue work is still on. Gas cutters are being used to get the injured people out of the mangled compartments. A team of doctors from Lucknow’s King George Medical University have been sent to the spot to treat the injured.

News Agency Indo-Asian News Service reported that there was some disturbance in the area — furious locals raised slogans against the administration and railway authorities, saying the rescuers took a long time to reach the spot.