Derailment: Toll touches 150; deadliest rail mishap since 1999

Railways suspends 5 senior officials and transferred Jhansi DRM as the probe into the Indore-Patna Express accident gained momentum

The death toll on Tuesday climbed to 150 in the Indore-Patna Express derailment, making it the deadliest train accident in the last 17 years with four more persons, including a 12-year-old boy, succumbing to their injuries.

The deaths reported from hospitals pushed the toll to 150 even as railway services resumed on Jhansi-Kanpur section after damaged tracks were replaced between Pukhrayan and Malasa stations.

Meanwhile, Railways on Tuesday suspended five senior officials and transferred Jhansi Divisional Manager (DRM) as the probe into the Indore-Patna Express accident gained momentum, with blood samples of the two drivers sent for alcohol test.

"Ram Singh, 52, and Abhay Shrivastava, 12, passed away during treatment at Regency and Hallet hospital of Medical College here," Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Ramayan Prasad said. The identity of two other deceased was not known.

With these deaths, the Sunday derailment of the train 19321 has become the deadliest rail accident since August 2, 1999 when 290 persons were killed after two trains carrying a total of 2,500 people collided at Gaisal in Assam.

Prasad said the condition of six persons is serious.

145 bodies have been identified and handed over to the families after post-mortem. The autopsy of five other bodies will be conducted after they are identified, he added.

Medical College Principal Dr Navneet Kumar said 65 injured persons are admitted in the Hallet Hospital and six of them are in the ICU.

Meanwhile, train services resumed on the affected section, where 14 coaches were derailed in the wee hours of November 20, disrupting traffic on the route. Four trains were cancelled and 14 diverted after the accident.

Kanpur IGP Zaki Ahmed said that besides replacing rails, electrical works were completed to ensure train operation on the busy route.

"The route became operational last night after the damaged tracks were removed from the site. A trial run was conducted on the tracks before the resumption of train services," he said.

Officials had said that prima facie, the cause of the accident could be track fracture.

A high-level probe was yesterday ordered by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, who promised "strictest possible action" against the guilty.