69 people including a Swedish national were killed and more than 250 persons injured when the speeding Howrah-Delhi Kalka Mail was derailed in Fatehpur district of UP Sunday afternoon. Most of the injured persons were admitted to several hospitals in Kanpur.
The derailment took place at 12.20 pm when the Delhi bound train from Howrah reached near Malwa station, nearly 120 km from Lucknow. The train was moving at a speed of 108 km when the accident occurred.
One of the killed passengers was identified as Mr Wick of Sweden going by the statement of another Swedish national who was injured in the accident. One more Swedish national went missing, according to officials.
Rescue operations are still continuing and by Tuesday morning the track will be ready for use, according to Railway Board Chairman Mr Vinay Mittal.
Mr. Mittal said a cabin man near the accident spot told him that he found the engine of the train shaking before the accident took place and smoke billowing out of the engine. Soon after that, the train got derailed, he said.
In another train derailment that took place near Rangia in Assam's Kamrup (Rural) district on Sunday evening, 50 passengers were injured.
Six coaches of the Guwahati-Puri Express were derailed after a blast occurred on the railway track. Officials said that the blast was triggered with an improvised explosive device. Investigation was on.
