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Shahira Naim
Tribune News Service
Lucknow, August 19
Twenty-three persons were killed and around 40 injured after 14 coaches of the Haridwar-bound 18477 Utkal Express derailed at Khatauli railway station, 25 km from Muzaffarnagar in western Uttar Pradesh on Saturday.
The Uttar Pradesh DGP's office confirmed that 23 persons were killed in the train accident while 40 were injured.
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Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed ministers Suresh Rana and Satish Mahana to reach the train accident site. He has also spoken to Muzaffarnagar District Magistrate instructing him to provide all possible relief.
Hospitals have been directed to provide free medical treatment to the injured.
The Railway Minister has announces ex gratia of Rs 3.5 lakh for those who lost their lives, Rs 50,000 for seriously injured.
“Extremely pained by the derailment of the Utkal Express in Muzaffarnagar,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. Railway Ministry and UP government are doing everything possible and providing all assistance needed following the derailment, Modi added.
Read: Here are major train accidents in the country in recent past
One bogie crashed into a house near the tracks. An eyewitness and owner of the house into which S2 bogie crashed revealed that repair and maintenance work was going on the tracks in front of his house.
"The injured passengers will be given complete treatment. Directions have been issued for all possible assistance," CM Yogi Adityanath said in a tweet earlier.
रेल हादसे में घायल यात्रियों का समुचित इलाज होगा, हर संभव मदद पहुंचाने के निर्देश दे दिए गए है।
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) August 19, 2017
ADG (Law and Order) Anand Kumar confirmed the accident and said preliminary reports say that a few bogies have crashed into the houses near the tracks.
Kumar has asked DSP, Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), Anoop Singh to reach the accident site to investigate the derailment from terror angle.
The accident occurred at 5.45 pm. The train was to reach its destination of Haridwar at 9 pm.
The mishap site is a stone’s throw from the Khatauli Kotwali police station.
Maintaining that he was personally monitoring the situation, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said he had instructed chairman, Railway Board, and Member (Traffic) to oversee rescue and relief operations.
“Medical vans have been rushed to the site and all efforts are being made to ensure speedy relief and rescue operations,” Prabhu said.
An inquiry has been ordered to ascertain cause of accident. Strict action to be taken against any lapse, Prabhu added.
Have instructed Chairman Rly Board,Member Traffic to oversee rescue and relief operations.I am personally monitoring situation
— Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) August 19, 2017
Refusing to hazard a guess at the cause of the accident, ADG Kumar said saving lives was his priority at the moment.
#WATCH: Visuals from the train derailment site in Muzaffarnagar's Khatauli; 6 coaches have derailed. More details awaited #UttarPradesh pic.twitter.com/AiNdfKV7oS
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 19, 2017
“The local police has already reached the spot and started the rescue work,” said the ADG.
The SSPs and DMs of Meerut, Saharanpur as well as Muzaffarnagar have been asked to rush to the spot and arrange for as many ambulances – government and private, to rescue the passengers.
He said the first priority is to rescue the passengers and provide them medical attention.
“The main concern is to make ambulances and lighting arrangements at the accident site so that the rescue operation can continue,” said Anand Kumar. — With agency inputs
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