Cuttack: Two passengers were killed and several injured, and 27 of them including six women seriously after Bhubaneswar-Bhadrak DMU collided with a goods train at Kathjodi station on the outskirts of the city here this evening.
Reports said a goods train was halting at the Kathjodi railway station when the Bhubaneswar-Bhadrak DMU coming from Bhubaneswar on the same track collided with the goods train from the rear.
As a result, one passenger died on the spot and several other passengers were seriously injured.
The incident took place at about 6.30 PM.
Following information, a team of Government Railway Police (GRP) and nine 108 Ambulance rushed to the spot to rescue the injured passengers. Police later admitted 27 seriously injured passengers in SCB Medical College and Hospital.
Apart from this Efforts are on to rescue other passengers who are trapped under the bogies.
Following the mishap, rail traffic between Cuttack and Bhubaneswar was disrupted. The Railway authorities have diverted Puri-Durg Express in other route via Naraj.
Till reports last came in, East Coast Railway (ECoR) authorities have sent an Accident Relief Train and a medical van to the spot to provide first aid to the injured passengers.
The Cuttack district administration has sent a team of Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) to rescue the injured passengers while district collector Nirmal Chandra Mishra is personally supervising the rescue operation in presence of the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) and chief security officer of Khurda Division, the reports added.
ECoR has set up helpline number for any queries about the accident. The numbers are 0674-2490670, 0674-2301525 and 9437579238.
Expressing grave concern over the tragic incident, chief minister Naveen Patnaik directed the concerned authorities to expedite the rescue work and provide free treatment to the injured passengers.