india

Updated: Feb 04, 2019 08:09 IST

Eleven coaches of the Seemanchal Express headed for Delhi derailed in Bihar’s Vaishali district on Sunday morning, killing six people and injuring at least 27 in an accident caused by a fracture on the railway tracks, according to railway officials.

Four of the dead were riding in an AC coach (B3) — one of the three that toppled over on their side — and two were in a general bogie, the officials added after an eight-hour rescue operation that involved railway administration, the state administration, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and local volunteers.

The other bogies affected were three sleeper coaches (S8, S9, S10) and six more coaches. The 12487 Jogbani-Anand Vihar Seemanchal Express had a total of 23 bogies. Sleeper coaches S8 and S9, too, toppled over after the derailment.

The accident took place at around 4am in Sonepur division, under the jurisdiction of the East Central Railway (ECR), about 50km from state capital Patna. “Preliminary investigations suggested a fracture in railway tracks caused the tragedy,” ECR spokesperson Rajesh Kumar said. An investigation, headed by commissioner of railway safety (eastern zone) Latif Khan, will begin on Monday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his “thoughts are with the bereaved families”. “Deeply anguished by the loss of lives due to the derailment of coaches of the Seemanchal Express...,” he tweeted.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar expressed condolences over the deaths. “The district magistrate and the superintendent of police have rushed to the spot and are overseeing the relief work in coordination with the railways,” he said after the accident.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi urged party workers to extend all help to the affected families. “I am deeply pained by the Bihar train accident. I express my deepest condolences and grief for the families who have suffered in the accident,” he said in a Facebook post.

Survivors said most of the people on the train were asleep at the time of the accident. “We suddenly woke up to a loud noise... As our bogie turned turtle, all of us were thrown out of our beds. Loud screams broke the early morning silence. I escaped with minor injuries. Soon, villagers arrived and pulled us out,” said Ravindra Mahato, a passenger.

Three of the deceased were from Bihar’s Khagaria districtand the others from North Dinajpur in West Bengal.