Utkal Express mishap: Trains on Meerut line cancelled; rescue operation ends

Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, August 20

With an injured succumbing to injuries at a Meerut hospital, the total number of deaths now confirmed is 21 in the ghastly accident of the Puri-Haridwar Utkal Express at Khatuali in Muzaffarnagar on Saturday evening.

The number of injured have, however, shot up overnight to 156. Most of them are admitted to the Meerut Medical College and other private hospitals in Meerut.

Will not allow laxity in operations by the Board. Have directed CRB to fix responsibility on prima facie evidence by end of day.

— Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) August 20, 2017

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Muzaffarnagar District Magistrate G S Priydarshi, who has been at the accident site, said the total number of coaches that got derailed was 12, including one pantry car and 11 passenger coaches.

Government Railway Police later registered an FIR over the incident.

Of the 20 dead, the bodies of 11 have been identified, said a spokesperson of the Uttar Pradesh government.

Most of the injured have been shifted to Meerut.

“The number of dead may go up as reports say that several of them are critical,” said Principal Secretary Information Avanish Awasthi.

Read: 259 killed in 27 train accidents in 3-year BJP rule: Congress

23 die as 8 coaches derail in UP

He, however, denied reports appearing in a section of the media about several customers at a tea tall also being crushed under the flying bogies.

Four NDRF teams of skilled personnel equipped with sophisticated gas cutters, airlifting bags and other rescues material have, meanwhile, completed the work of rescue.

In a tweet, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said: “Rescue operations completed. Have directed railway doctors to visit the injured in hospitals and ensure best possible medical help.”

According to the DGP office ADG Meerut Zone Divisional Commissioner Meerut, IG Saharanpur and IF Railways are at the spot.

Also, dispatched are 12 companies of PAC, 90 ambulances, 100 food packets and state-run and private buses to ferry the passengers stranded at the accident site.

However, a large number of passengers still looking for their missing family members do not know where to go to look for them.

Speaking to news channels, eyewitnesses and local residents continue to blame the Railways for the accident.

Pointing towards the several wrenches, hammers and pieces of track at the accident site, they claimed that workers had been working at a damaged section of the track since Saturday morning.

Eyewitnesses say that the workers had left a little while before the accident after it started raining.  

While a dozen trains on the Meerut route have been diverted, two trains – the Janshabdi Express and Puri-bound Utkal Express – have been cancelled.

Muzaffarnagar authorities have set up a control room to assist families of those affected. The numbers are: 0131- 2436918, 0131-2436103 and 0131-2436564.