At least five persons including an MLA from Karnataka, were killed and over 20 others injured when four coaches of the Nanded Express derailed after a lorry hit the train at a level crossing. The condition of the three persons is stated to be serious.
The incident occurred between Rengepalli and Penugonda stations near Madakasira in Dharmavaram Division on the South West Railways during wee hours at 2.23 hours. According to Railway authorities, the victims include three passengers, a railway employ and the driver of the lorry. MLA of Devadurga Assembly Constituency, A Venkatesh Naik who was travelling in H-1 coach was among the victims while another AC compartment – B1 and Sleeper coaches S1 and S2 also derailed. The derailed AC compartments were badly wrangled and the rescue teams had to cut the metal plates to bring out passengers.
The train had left Bangalore during late hours last night. Despite the level crossing between Rengepalli and Penugonda is barricaded with a gate, the granite loaded truck collided with the Bangalore-Nanded Express. According to local police, the lorry fully loaded with Granite, hit the train after breaking the railway gate with lifting barricades.
The injured have been admitted in Penugonda government hospital. Later some of them have been shifted to Bangalore and Dharmavaram for better treatment. The local authorities have begun relief operations and started sending the stranded passengers to their destinations by arranging special buses.
Besides Railways, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu also ordered an inquiry into the incident and asked the District Collector to submit a report over the incident.
The rail traffic on the route has been affected due to the incident and many trains stranded at various stations. The authorities have diverted or delayed over a dozen Express trains and cancelled some more passenger trains on the division.
Meanwhile, the Railway Authorities have set up help lines at the accident site as well as other major stations to provide information about passengers and train diversions.
The help Line Numbers are as follows:
Bangalore City Railway Station Help Line:080-22354108
Penugonda helpline:08555-220249
Dharmavaram helpline: 08559-222555
Anantpur helpline: 08554-236444
Accident Site helpline: 09701374062