1 killed, 10 hurt as train hits lorry

Chennai, Apr 27 (UNI) One person was killed on the spot and ten injured when the Dhanpad-Allepy Express in which they were travelling hit a lorry near suburban Athipattu Railway Station near here early today.

Police said after unloading the cargo adjacent to the railway track, the lorry driver attempted to start the vehicle when it got struck. Noticing a train was fast approaching, he jumped out of the vehicle and escaped unhurt.

Meanwhile, the train scraped the side of the lorry and in the impact, passengers travelling on the footboard in the general compartment next to the engine bore the brunt of the mishap.

Police identified the deceased as Ananthan of Vizhapatnam. The injured were brought by the same train to Chennai and admitted to the Government General Hospital.

Due to the accident, train services on the section were slightly disrupted and all incoming and outgoing trains adopted caution running for some time, sources said.

Two coaches of the train and the lorry were badly damaged.

Police took the lorry driver and site supervisor into custody and registered cases against the Railway contractor and another site supervisor.

UNI