HYDERABAD, India, 13 June 2007 — Three passengers were killed and 21 injured when 14 cars of a passenger train derailed near the port city of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh late Monday night.
The Nagercoil-Howrah Gurudev Express derailed at a steep curve one km from Duvvada station. The track between Duvvada and Gopalpatnam on the way to Visakhapatnam is full of sharp curves. The derailed cars included two air-conditioned coaches and three 3-tier ones.
Traffic was disrupted in the Waltair division of East Coast Railways as a result of the derailment. At least three trains — Chennai-Howrah Coromandel Express, Hyderabad-Howrah Falaknuma Express and East Coast Express — were either diverted or canceled.
East Coast Railways Chief Public Relations Officer B.K. Mishra said the passengers killed in the accident have been identified as M. Prasada Rao, 51; Birendra Jena, 61; and Sisir Jena, 35. Of the injured passengers, seven are in serious condition.
All the injured are residents of Bhubaneswar, the capital of the eastern state of Orissa.
Visakhapatnam Police Commissioner V.S.K. Kaumudi said the injured passengers were taken in ambulances to the King George Hospital and Railway Hospital. A medical relief train was also sent to treat the lightly injured at the spot. Police and local villagers helped in the rescue and relief operation.
More than 600 passengers were aboard the train at the time of the accident. A special train brought the stranded passengers to Visakhapatnam, which is 28 km from the scene of the accident.
