Around 40 passengers of the Mumbai-Bhubaneswar Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) Express were injured when the train hit a static goods train near the Nirgundi station near Cuttack on Thursday, January 16.
The seven bogies of the train, as well as the guard compartment of the goods train, derailed, resulting in the disruption of train services in the route for more than six hours.
Among the injured, at least 29 were rushed to the SCB Medical College Hospital. Only one patient is in critical condition while the remaining 27 are now undergoing treatment in the trauma care center. One patient suffered minor injuries and was given first aid at the hospital.
The railway authorities ordered an investigation to ascertain the cause of the accident. Sources said that the South East Circle Commissioner of Railway Safety would conduct the probe. Eyewitnesses said the area was covered under heavy fog when the accident took place at around 7 am and the train driver might have missed the signal.
Locals gathered at the spot in large numbers and helped the railway staff in rescuing the injured from the derailed bogies.
Train services on the route, however, resumed in the afternoon after the derailed bogies were removed from the tracks, railway sources said, adding that at least five trains were diverted in the morning. According to the East Coast Railway (ECoR) authorities, the on-duty Station Manager of Nergundi, Guard of the goods train, Loco Pilot and Assistant Loco Pilot of the LTT-Bhubaneswar Express were suspended before the Commissioner of the Railway Safety began his investigations.