Chennai: Nineteen passengers were injured, four of them seriously, when the Bagmati Express (Train No 12578), traveling from Mysuru to Darbhanga in Bihar, derailed after colliding with a stationary goods train near Kavaraipettai on the night of October 11. Southern Railway has launched a high-level investigation into the incident.
The accident occurred at around 8:30 pm when 12 coaches of the express train derailed, and a parcel van caught fire, which was later extinguished by fire and rescue services. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) promptly arrived at the scene to carry out rescue operations.
Railway sources have attributed the accident to a signal failure. The express train, moving at 75 km/h, was mistakenly diverted onto a loop line, resulting in a collision with the rear of a stationary goods train. Southern Railway confirmed that the crew was unharmed, and no fatalities have been reported so far. The injured passengers were taken to nearby hospitals.
Train movement on both sides of the section was disrupted, and alternative travel arrangements were being made. This accident follows the tragic Balasore incident in Odisha in June 2023, which resulted in 290 deaths and over 900 injuries.
