About 15 people have died in a train mishap in the Anantpur district of Andhra Pradesh. Train number 16591, Hubli-Bangalore Hampi Express at 3:00 am May 22, collided with a stationary goods train at the Penukonda Railway Station, which is about 400 kms from Hyderabad.
It has been feared that the death toll might rise, while more than 70 people have been injured. Some of the passengers are said to be in a very critical condition. Many of the passengers were still trapped in the bogies and the rescue workers used gas cutters to get them out.
The train was supposed to reach Bangalore at 6 am. One of the railway officials said that a signalling error might have led to the mishap. The impact was so severe that about four bogies of the train derailed from the track and one of them even caught fire.
The deceased include four children and the officials said that some of the bodies were charred beyond recognition. The fire fighters, local police and railway personnel rushed to the spot for rescue operations. The rescue operation is being supervised by the Anantpur District collector Durga Das and other senior officials. The railways minister has announced Rs. 5 lakh compensation for the family of the deceased, Rs. 1 lakh for the severely injured passengers and Rs. 50,000 for the others injured.
