Thirteen coaches of the Vasco Da Gama-Patna express derailed near Manikpur railway station in Uttar Pradesh on Friday.

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ANI quoted UP ADG (law and order) as saying that the cause of accident is most probably a fractured railway track "as per local assessment".

Fractured railway track could be cause of accident

He further said that a medical train had reached the spot and by 5.20 am, an accident relief train was dispatched for the spot.

North Central Railway PRO Amit Malviya told The Times of India that the coaches which jumped off the rails were coaches numbered S3-S11, two general coaches and two extra coaches. He added that the injured have been rushed to the hospital and rescue operations are underway.

The deceased have been identified as father-son duo, Ram Swaroop Patel and his son Deepak Patel, according to The Indian Express . They were both from Bettiah district of Bihar and died on the spot. The third person died at a hospital.

Piyush Goyal directed chairman of Railway Board, Ashwani Lohani, who is in the state, to rush to the site and also ordered an inquiry by the commissioner railway safety.

Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot also points out the rising number of rail accidents

"Citizens are wary of using the Indian Railways & a change of guard has not made them safer," says Congress

The deceased have been identified as father-son duo, Ram Swaroop Patel and his son Deepak Patel, according to The Indian Express . They were both from Bettiah district of Bihar and died on the spot. The third person died at a hospital.

Piyush Goyal directed chairman of Railway Board, Ashwani Lohani, who is in the state, to rush to the site and also ordered an inquiry by the commissioner railway safety.

It is tragic to know of loss of lives in #TrainDerailment in #Chitrakoot , #Uttarpradesh . My condolences to bereaved families. The rising number of such accidents is very worrying. #VASCODAGAMA https://t.co/SZnCHtC7sU

Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot also points out the rising number of rail accidents

Our condolences on this unfortunate mishap in #Chitrakoot . Citizens are wary of using the Indian Railways & a change of guard has not made them safer. We urge Ministry of Railways to prioritise safety. https://t.co/3G6LUbXsWq

"Citizens are wary of using the Indian Railways & a change of guard has not made them safer," says Congress

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 on Friday.

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 agencies