UP train derailment toll 146, could rise as 70 critical

New Delhi: After a last-ditch effort to rescue more people from the mangled ruins of the Indore-Patna Express was finally abandoned Monday evening, the authorities said the death toll had touched 146, but could rise further as more than 70 of the 202 people injured were in a critical condition.

The tragedy, probably the worst since the Gyaneshwari Express accident in 2010, has put focus back on railway safety amid talk of high-speed and bullet trains.

At a high-level meeting in New Delhi, the Railway Board decided to overhaul its safety directorate, and decided to appoint only officers of proven ability for safety duties.

The Railways also decided to not run more trains where 100 or more trains are already running, sources said, and to phase out the traditional ICF coaches by next year.

As railway minister Suresh Prabhu assured Parliament that strict action would be taken if any culprits were found after the probe into the derailment on Sunday morning was completed, a high-level team rushed to the spot and inspected the tracks. The minister also said that a separate probe had been ordered.

Volunteers and good samaritans rummaged through the mangled remains of the bogies and in the search for more survivors. Many passengers were seen sifting through the luggage and other belongings piled up at the site to look for clues about their missing family members. Some were inconsolable at being unable to find them or finding their bodies instead.

“I am looking for my brother. Who knows what has happened to him? He may have changed his seat... We have searched everywhere,” said Ramanand Tiwari.

After seeing bodies of three of his family members, Nirmal Verma was inconsolable. North Central Railway PRO Amit Malwiya said the toll had risen to 146.

All 14 derailed coaches of the Patna-bound train 19321 have been removed from the tracks.

A senior police official in Kanpur said 146 bodies have been found so far, out of which 110 have been identified. Around 120 bodies were pulled out till late Sunday night, while some others were found later as the wreckage was cleared.

A total of 105 bodies have been handed over to family members after post-mortem. The bodies have also been sent to various states like Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The number of injured rose to 202 on Monday, more than 70 of whom are critical.

As the high-level meet was being held in New Delhi, the commissioner of railway safety, Mr P.K. Acharya, went to the accident site and inspected the broken track and the mangled bogies. The entire inspection as well as the accident site was videographed. Railway engineers and technical staff were asked questions over the derailment by the railway safety commissioner, an official said.

The Railways also began repair work on the track. A fracture in the track was supposed to have caused the accident, but this has not been established yet.

Officials said repair work of the Kanpur-Jhansi route was in its final stage and near normal traffic could be restored from Tuesday morning.

Four trains were cancelled and 14 others diverted after 14 coaches of Indore-Patna Express derailed early on Sunday due to suspected fracture, disrupting traffic on the route.

Railway minister Suresh Prabhu said in Parliament that there would be a separate investigation involving technical and forensic analysis by an appropriate agency to look into all possible angles. “The statutory inquiry by the commissioner of railway safety into this accident has been ordered to determine the correct cause,” he said, adding there would be a separate investigation involving technical and forensic analysis by an appropriate agency to look into all possible angles. The strictest possible action will be taken against the guilty, he added.