10 dead, over 17 injured in Karnataka train mishap

The Indian Railways on Friday confirmed that ten persons had lost their lives and over 17 others were critically injured after nine bogies of the Bangalore-Ernakulam Inter City Express derailed near Anekal this morning.

Additional Director General of Police (Railways), Rajvir Pratap Sharma, said relief and rescue operations are underway in full swing and added that all the injured have been shifted to nearby hospitals.

"There are 17 people seriously injured, ten deaths have been reported so far. All the dead bodies have been shifted and the injured have been taken to the hospitals," Sharma said.

He further said that the Indian Railways would conduct an inquiry to ascertain the exact cause of derailment.

"This is a derailment and it can happen only on three accounts - it could be due to over speeding, it could be due to the mechanical failure in the railway tracks or it could be due to mechanical flaw in the bogies. The exact cause is yet to be ascertained," he said.

"The Railways Security Commissioner will conduct an inquiry and then they will give a report," he added.

Meanwhile, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu is likely to visit the spot where the mishap took place.

Help desks have been set up at the Bangalore City Railway Station and at the accident site.

Bengaluru city help desk numbers are 080 22371166, 080-22156553, 080-22156554, 9731666751. The helpline numbers in Kerala are: Trivandrum - 0471-2321205/2321237, Ernakulam Junction - 0484-2100317/0813699773, Ernakulam town - 0484-2398200.