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At least 27 passengers sustained injuries,when eight coaches of the 12138 Ferozepur-Mumbai Punjab Mail derailed between Sampla-Kharawar station near Rohtak in Haryana early on Sunday. Three passengers sustained grievous injuries and are undergoing treatment at PGIMS,Rohtak.
The rest were discharged after first-aid and arrangements were made for their onward journeys. As many as 16 trains had to be cancelled on the route,even as seven trains were terminated and 11 diverted. The Northern Railways said its officers and technicians were working to restore traffic.
Commissioner Railway Safety,Northern Circle,R K Kardam will hold a statutory inquiry into the accident.
The preliminary inquiry by railway officials indicated the possibility of a “rail fracture” that led to the derailment. According to officials,the rail fractures are generally caused due to change in weather conditions,and could lead to disasters if not mended in time.
The unaffected front portion of the train,along with passengers,left the accident site around 6 am and reached Delhi at 8 am,from where it began the onward journey to Mumbai at 8.50 am after additional coaches were attached to the train.
A team of senior railway officials headed by Additional General Manager,Delhi Division,Northern Railways,B P Gupta and DRM Delhi,Ashwani Lohani,along with a medical team reached the accident site and supervised the relief and rescue operation.
Union Minister for Railways Mukul Roy monitored the situation.
The train started witnessing abnormal jerks suddenly. There were loud screams and people were on top of each other. The luggage was all over us. We tried to rescue others but it was pitch dark outside, said Anil,28,who was going to New Delhi from Ferozepur.
The doctors and the medical staff were extremely ill-equipped and rude to the patients. They started telling patients to get out of the hospital. The accident had left me with a fractured knee and dislocated shoulder. I called my son who brought me back to Bathinda. (Earlier) Help reached the accident site after about 90 minutes. Police were extremely rude and kept telling people to get whatever conveyance they could on their own and continue their journey, said Ramesh Kumar,a passenger.
Helpline counters have been set up at all major railway stations on the route covered by the affected train.
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