Three coaches of Train No. 14317 Ujjaini Express derailed during a shunting operation in the railway yard near Khand Gaon in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, on Monday night.
The incident occurred around 9:30 pm near Yog Nagari Railway Station. According to the Moradabad Division of Northern Railway, the train was completely empty at the time of the derailment, and no passengers or railway staff were injured.
Railway authorities immediately launched rescue and restoration operations, which continued through the night and into Tuesday morning.
What caused the Ujjaini Express derailment?
Officials said cranes and heavy machinery were deployed to remove the three severely damaged coaches that went off the tracks. Restoration teams have been working continuously to clear the affected section and restore normal rail operations. Authorities are yet to determine the exact cause of the derailment. However, preliminary findings suggest the train may have suffered a brake failure during routine maintenance work, the report added.
A large crowd had gathered near the tracks after the accident, following which Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel cleared the area and took control of the situation.
The Railway Department has launched an investigation to ascertain the exact reasons behind the derailment.
Similar incident reported at Bihar’s Sasaram station a day earlier
The derailment comes a day after smoke was reported from a coach of an empty passenger train stationed at Sasaram Railway Station in Bihar early Monday morning. According to railway officials, the incident occurred around 5:30 am in Train No. 53212 Down Sasaram-Patna passenger train, which was parked at platform number 6, The Indian Express reported.
Saraswati Chandra, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of East Central Railway, told IE that the affected coach was unoccupied and no passengers were onboard at the time. The incident had prompted a swift response from railway authorities and the fire brigade.
The official further said that a probe has been ordered into the Sasaram incident. “A team led by the Principal Chief Safety Officer (PCSO) has been sent to Sasaram to carry out a detailed investigation,” he told IE.