Several trains affected due to Hirakhand Express derailment

At least 39 people were killed and 69 injured when engine and nine coaches of Jagdalpur-Bhubaneswar Hirakhand Express derailed near in Andhra Pradesh's Vizianagaram district.

Raipur, Jan 22: Operations of few trains under the South East Central Railway zone were affected due to the derailment of Jagdalpur-Bhubaneswar Hirakhand Express between Rayagada and Vizianagaram section of Waltair division under East Cost Railway, an official said on Sunday.

"Korba-Visakhapatnam-Korba Link Express (18517/18) has been cancelled and five other trains have been diverted due to the derailment incident under the SECR zone," a senior SECR official told PTI.

As per the information received, Puri-Ahmedabad (12843) express, Ahmedabad-Puri (12844), Visakhapatnam-Nizamuddin (12807) express, Nizamuddin- Visakhapatnam (12808) express, Visakhapatnam-Kurla express (22847) have been diverted.

These trains operate through Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh, he said, adding train service hit by the derailment will be soon be resumed.

At least 39 people were killed and 69 injured when engine and nine coaches of Jagdalpur-Bhubaneswar Hirakhand Express jumped the tracks in Andhra Pradesh's Vizianagaram district with the railways suspecting sabotage behind the derailment, the third in as many months.

PTI