Indore-Patna Express derailment: 7 deceased from MP

Bhopal: Out of the 25 deceased identified so far in the Indore-Patna Express derailment in the wee hours today in Kanpur, seven hailed from Madhya Pradesh, railway authorities said.

One of the deceased has been identified as Jitesh Maurya (26) from Awadpuri locality in the state capital, Bhopal Division of West Central Railways (WCR) Public Relations Officer, IA Siddique said.

He said the other six deceased hailing from MP include three from Indore, two from Gwalior and one from Ujjain.

In the worst rail accident in recent years, over 100 passengers were killed and more than 200 injured, nearly half of them grievously, when 14 coaches of the Indore-Patna Express derailed near Pukhrayan in Kanpur district early today due to suspected rail fracture (crack in the track which occurs due to cold).

The disaster took place just a little after 0300 hrs when the passengers were deep asleep and jolted as the train jumped off the tracks.

Four ordinary sleeper coaches of the train - S1, S2, S3, S4- were badly damaged in the mishap. The S1 and S2 coaches had telescoped into each other and most of the casualties were feared to have been in these two compartments.