New Farakka Express derailment: Railway officials gave wrong signal to train; suspended

Five persons died and over 30 were injured after nine coaches and the engine of the train derailed near Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli.

One of the derailed coaches of New Farakka Express being removed from the tracks by a crane, in Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli on Oct 10, 2018. (IANS Photo)

NEW DELHI: Two Indian Railway employees gave wrong signals to the New Farakka Express which caused the derailment incident. Both the officers have been suspended, said news agency PTI. 

Five persons died and over 30 were injured after nine coaches and the engine of the train, heading from West Bengal's Malda to Delhi, derailed near Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli. 

Ten women and six minors were among the injured, railway officials said.
For hours after the accident, confusion prevailed among senior police and railway officials over the death toll with some quoting seven dead, others 5.

The injured were taken to Rae Bareli, about 80 km from the state capital Lucknow. The critical patients were later shifted at the trauma centre of Lucknow's King George Medical University and two at the city's Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences.

The derailment of New Farakka Express on Wednesday is the second major rail accident this year. 

The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of the Uttar Pradesh Police probed the derailment incident.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condoled the loss of lives in the train derailment.

Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, who is in constant touch with the railway administration, has directed to effectively undertake relief and rescue operation and provide the best possible medical help to the injured.