Mahakaushal Express accident: Uttar Pradesh Health Minister calls it unfortunate

Lucknow : Uttar Pradesh Health Minister Siddharth Nath Singh on Thursday termed the as "unfortunate" the derailment of the Mahakaushal Express.

"Any such incident is unfortunate. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Aditya Nath Yogi has directed me to go to Mahoba. The ATS (Anti Terrorist Squad) and railway police are there. I will take cognizance and will let Aditya Nathji know. After the Chief Minister's advice, necessary compensation will be announced," the Health Minister said. 

He further said that the officers of National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Uttar Pradesh Police are jointly conducting probe into the incident in which over 40 passengers were injured after eight coaches of the Mahakaushal Express derailed in Mahoba district.

The derailment occurred around 2 a.m. on Thursday when the express train that runs between Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh and Hazrat Nizamuddin in New Delhi derailed between Laadpur and Supa near Kulpahar stations.

The injured included many women and children. The condition of at least four of them is said to be critical.

The North Central Railways' official told IANS that an inquiry has been ordered and the train with the remaining coaches and passengers left from the accident site at 6.45 a.m.

A few trains between Allahabad and Jhansi were diverted after the accident, the official said.