Toll rises to eight as rescue continues at train accident site

Latehar, Jharkhand, Jan 13 (UNI) With the recovery of one more body, the toll in yesterday's goods train accident near the Hehegada Railway station in the district rose to eight this evening with five more feared trapped inside the bogies.

All the victims were believed to be coal thieves travelling in the coal-laden goods train.

Six others were injured, three of them critically, were also injured when the train fell into a river near the Hehegada Railway station.

While three of the injured were railway employess, as many critically injured, all unauthorised travellers, were rushed to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Science at Ranchi.

Eight bodies had been recovered till this evening with authorities apprehending that another five might be trapped in the derailed bogies for which the rescue operation waas on.

Railway traffic was disrupted following the accident but one line was cleared, officials monitoring rescue operation said, adding that effort was on to clear the second track.

As the train derailed yesterday between Hehegarha and Kumundih stations at about 1545 hrs, the driver, assistant driver and guard were injured.

According to authorities, none of the eight bodies recovered so far was of any railway employee.

Railway Protection Force, Government Railway Police along with villagers were carrying out the rescue operation. Senior railway officials, including Divisional Rail Manager of Dhanbad division, had rushed to the spot.

The goods train was going to Panipat in Haryana from Rai station in Hazaribagh, railway officials said, adding the engine and three other bogies, including the guard's bogey, fell into the Kasba river.

UNI