At least 50 people were killed and more than 350 injured in a horrific triple train crash on Friday in Odisha involving the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, and a goods train, officials said.
A railway official said that several coaches of 12864 Bengaluru-Howrah superfast express travelling to Howrah, derailed at Bahanagabazar and fell on the up line.
"These derailed coaches collided with 12841 Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express and its coaches capsized too," he said.
A goods train was also involved in the accident as the coaches of the Coromandel Express hit its wagons after getting derailed, the official said.
The accident occurred at around 7 pm, about 255 km from Howrah, he said.
There have been casualties but we haven't yet counted. It was a violent train accident* involving three trains - two passenger trains and one goods train: Odisha Chief Secretary Pradeep Jena said.
A PTI reporter at the spot said several people were trapped under the derailed coaches, and locals were assisting emergency services personnel to rescue them, but darkness was hindering the operation.
Accident relief trains have been dispatched to the spot, a South Eastern Railway official said.
Four units of the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), three units of NDRF, and 60 ambulances were working to rescue the injured, officials said.
The Odisha government has issued a helpline 06782-262286. The railway helplines are 033-26382217 (Howrah), 8972073925 (Kharagpur), 8249591559 (Balasore) and 044- 25330952 (Chennai).
