india

Updated: Apr 21, 2019 00:44 IST

Several passengers were injured when 12 coaches of the Howrah-Delhi Poorva Express (12303 Down) derailed near Rooma, 20 km from Kanpur Central Station, at 12.54 am, on Saturday. North Central Railways chief spokesman Gaurav Bansal said that there was no casualty in the incident.

Prima facie investigations revealed that the fault in coupling was the cause of the derailment but investigating authorities were also considering the possibility of sabotage.

Kanpur senior superintendent of police (SSP) Anant Deo said that 14 passengers had suffered bone fractures and 11 other passengers who had minor injuries were discharged after giving first aid.

Meanwhile, a second release issued by Northern Central Railway PRO Sunil Kumar Gupta said that three passengers Sumit Kumar, Sadhna, and Basanti Devi who had been admitted to LLR Hospital, Kanpur, had been discharged. The railways made an ex-gratia payment of ₹5,000 to passengers with simple injuries and ₹25,000 to passengers who received grievous injuries.

The SSP said that about 900 passengers were sent to Delhi by a special train with 11 coaches at 7 am, who were transported to central stations by four buses.

The derailed coaches included 10 passenger coaches, one seating cum luggage rake (SLR) and a pantry car derailed.

Due to the derailment, the routes of five down trains and nine up trains were diverted, while 11 MEMU and inter-city trains were cancelled.

District magistrate VV Pant said that an enquiry will be set up to look into the causes of the derailment.

An officials said that the Railways has been replacing centre buffer coupling (CBC) rakes with Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) rakes which were stronger and safer. It was due to LHB coaches in Poorva Express that there was no loss to life, he added.

(With input from agencies)