The woman, a resident of Bihar, was travelling to her home state when she went into labour.

A woman gave birth on Friday inside a running train in Uttarakhand with the help of railway police personnel, the police said.

"The Durgiana Express train does not have a stop at Roorkee station but we got the news that a pregnant woman on the train had gone into labour and we rushed to the spot. After she delivered the child on the train, we shifted both the mother and the newborn safely to the Civil Hospital here," said Government Railway Police (GRP) Sub-Inspector Amit Kumar.

The official added that the woman, Seema, a resident of Bihar, was travelling to her home state when she went into labour.

He also thanked the women passengers aboard the train who assisted in helping to deliver the baby.

"We received help from the woman passengers aboard. As far as we are concerned it is our duty to help the passengers in any way we can," Mr Kumar added.