SAN FRANCISCO (Diya TV) — At least 140 people were killed when 14 coaches of an overnight passenger train rolled off the track in northern India Sunday, rescue workers were forced to use cutting torches to try to pull survivors from the wreckage, police said.
Daljeet Chaudhary, the director general of police in northern Uttar Pradesh, said Monday the death toll had risen to 140, adding that it was likely to rise further because emergency workers have been unable to gain access to some of the worst-damaged coaches.
“All of a sudden there was a massive jerk,” Ravindra Pathak said in the aftermath of the deadly derailment. “Our heads collided with the roof of the carriage.”
Satish Kumar, said the train was traveling at normal speed when it stopped suddenly
“It restarted, and then we heard a crash,” said Kumar, whose coach remained standing on the track. “When we came out of the train, we saw a few coaches had derailed.”
The train, which links the central Indian city of Indore to the city of Patna in its north east, was halfway through its journey when it went off the track near Kanpur, around 300 miles southeast of New Delhi.
The cause of the derailment was not immediately clear.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his concern over the derailment.
“Anguished beyond words on the loss of lives due to the derailing of the Patna-Indore express. My thoughts are with the bereaved families,” Modi posted on his Twitter account.
Anguished beyond words on the loss of lives due to the derailing of the Patna-Indore express. My thoughts are with the bereaved families.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 20, 2016
