Sixty others sustained injuries in the accident which occurred at 3.15 am. According to preliminary information, 14 coaches have derailed between Ghanpur and Ippaguda on the Kazipet-Secunderabad section.

Of the 14 coaches, 11 bogies including the I AC coach in which the minister was travelling, capsized. The minister's body, trapped in the I AC coach, was identified by his brother Chandrasekhar who was also travelling in the same train.

As many as 12 persons, including Venkatramana's gunmen and two personal assistants, were feared trapped inside the AC coach. Six bodies have been retrieved so far, railway sources said, adding that efforts were on to reach out to the remaining passengers.

Railway sources fear that the toll may goup as five of the 11 derailed bogies were badly mangled and gas cutters were being used to cut and gain entry into them to rescue the passengers.

Medical relief vans have been dispatched to the accident site from Secunderabad and Kazipet. Passengers who sustained minor injuries were given first aid at the mishap site. The injured as well as other stranded passengers were brought to Secunderabad by a special train.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu along with Home Minister A Madhav Reddy and other ministers rushed to the accident site immediately after receiving news about the same. Railway Minister Nitish Kumar was also expected at the accident site to supervise relief and rescue operations.