Three killed in train collision in Uttar Pradesh (Fourth Lead)

FIROZABAD - Two women and a child were killed while 14 other people were injured in a collision of two trains near Tundla railway station in Firozabad district of Uttar Pradesh in dense fog Saturday, an official said.

The Kalindi Express and the Shram Shakti Express, both headed for Kanpur, collided around 8 a.m. on the Delhi-Howrah trunk route near Tundla railway station, about 25 km from Agra.

The railway ministry has constituted a three-member committee, under the supervision of the Commissioner of Railway Safety, to probe the accident, officials said.

According to officials, the three-member committee has as members Railway Board member (mechanical) Praveen Kumar, director general of railway health services V.K. Ramteke and additional member (signal and telecom) K.B. Sharma.

According to sources in the railways, the driver of the Kalindi Express has admitted that he “overstepped the red signal” that led to the collision.

“We have learnt that three passengers — two women and a child — in the Shram Shakti Express were killed in the accident,” Firozabad District Magistrate N.G. Ravi Kumar told IANS.

“Rescue operations have been completed and the 14 injured are being treated at hospitals in Tundla and Agra,” he said.

According to railway sources, while Rama Devi (30), wife of Hari Singh, a resident of Rasoolabad in Kanpur, and her three-year-old son Mohit died on the spot, the third victim — a woman in her mid-20s — is yet to be identified.

Railway officials said both trains were heading to Kanpur. While the Shram Shakti Express was coming from Delhi, Kalindi Express had left from Bhiwani.

“Two rear coaches of the Shram Shakti Express were severely damaged following the accident. Of the 14 injured, at least seven are women,” Firozabad Senior Superintendent of police Raghuveer Lal told IANS.

The railways have announced a compensation of Rs.500,000 each to the families of those killed and Rs.100,000 each to the critically injured. Those with minor injuries would receive Rs.10,000 each, officials said.

Agra Divisional Railway Manager Devesh Mishra said train traffic on the route was disrupted for two hours.

“It looks like the visibility was too low because of the heavy fog and the driver could not see,” he said.

People complained of “delayed relief operations” and said the rescue work was started by the passengers themselves.

“The railway authorities and other officials arrived after more than an hour of the accident,” Prashant Kumar, a resident of Kanpur who was travelling on the Shram Shakti Express, told reporters in Firozabad.

Aman Jain, another passenger of the Shram Shakti Express, said: “Passengers of the trains helped rescue a large number of people trapped in the last coach of the Shram Shakti Express.”

This is the third accident this month. Two train accidents occurred on Jan 2 in the state’s Kanpur and Etawah districts.

“If a railway accident occurs in such a short span of time, it’s really unfortunate and requires an extensive probe,” R.D. Vajapayee, chief public relations officer (CPRO) of North Central Railway, told reporters in Allahabad.

On Jan 2, 11 people were killed when the Gorakhdham Express collided with the stationary Prayagraj Express in Kanpur. In the other accident, the Lichchavi Express rammed into the Magadh Express in Etawah, but there were no casualties. Both accidents occurred in thick fog.

Indo-Asian News Service