GUWAHATI, May 25 � Scores of passengers travelling on the 2424 Up Rajdhani Express had a fortunate escape after twelve of the coaches derailed this morning in Bihar. The super fast train connecting New Delhi and Guwahati was between Kharik and Naugachia station when the coaches jumped the tracks, according to a senior Indian Railways official, who said that only about a dozen people sustained �minor injuries�.
An enquiry has already been ordered, to be conducted by the Commissioner of Railway Safety, Eastern Circle, RP Yadav. But preliminary investigations have revealed that a length of almost a metre of rail track was found missing. �We are not ruling out miscreant activity,� a senior official of East Central Railway told this newspaper. He added that the area where the incident occurred is known to have presence of militants.
The incident took place around 6.40 in the morning in an area under the East Central Railway. Thereafter a decision was taken to send a relief train to the spot so that passengers could resume their journeys. According to railway sources, the special train that left the spot around 12 pm would have the same stoppages of the Rajdhani Express and it would be at least nine hours before it reached Guwahati.
According to an official statement from NF Railway Maligaon, due to the derailment some trains have been cancelled, which include 2423 Dn Rajdhani Express scheduled to leave Guwahati at 07.05 hrs on 26-05-2010, 2424A Link Rajdhani Express leaving Guwahati for Dibrugarh on 25-05-10 , 2423A Link Rajdhani Express leaving Dibrugarh Town on 25-05-10 and 0547 Katihar- Dibrugarh Summer Special train scheduled to leave Katihar on 25-05-10.
When contacted, the Chief Public Relations Officer, NFR, said that affected passengers would be able to have the difference in fare reimbursed at the station where they disembark.
The official enquiry would take place at Naugachia and Barauni on May 26, and the railways have asked people having knowledge about the incident to depose before the high level enquiry.
