Rae Bareli: At least 22 persons were reportedly killed and 150 others injured when Dehradun-Varanasi Janta Express derailed near a town in Rae Bareli district of Uttar Pradesh on Friday morning.
According to credible reports, an engine and two coaches of Dehradun-Varanasi Janta Express derailed in Bachhrawan after locomotive brakes of the train failed.
The villagers helped in extricating passengers trapped in the mangled coaches of the train. The spot of the accident presented a devastated sight with one of the bogies reduced to a mangle of steel. Train movement on the Lucknow-Varanasi section of the Northern Railway has been disrupted due to the accident.Â
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has instructed Chairman Railway Board A K Mittal and Member Traffic Ajay Shukla to rush to the spot. Railways is focusing on the relief and rescue operation and the injured persons have been shifted to the nearby hospital, the spokesperson said, adding, MoS Railway Manoj Sinha is also expected to rush to the site to monitor the operation.Â
The Uttar Pradesh government has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of those killed and Rs 50,000 to the injured in the accident.
Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha assured that a relief van is on its way to assist those affected in the mishap. He, however, refrained from commenting further.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party leader Manoj Kumar Pandey told reporters that officials are rushing to the spot. The Uttar Pradesh government will do whatever is required, added Pandey.
Â