Eight coaches derail after two goods train collide head-on near Sultanpur junction

One of the pilots ignored the stop instruction leading to the accident which has disrupted the rail traffic on Lucknow - Varanasi route track.

Sultanpur (Uttar Pradesh):Two goods trains derailed after a head-on collision leaving both the Engine Loco Pilots injured, near the Gabhadiya over-bridge near Sultanpur railway station early on Thursday morning. Eight coaches derailed while the collision completely damaged the railway track.

The rail traffic along the Lucknow-Varanasi route has been disrupted due to the mishap. Sub-Divisional Magistrate CP Pathak reached the spot and conducted spot inquiries. Talking to the media here, Pathak said, "two goods trains came on one track from opposite directions and collided head-on."

These coaches have derailed. The work to clear the track will begin shortly after the crane arrives. Pilots of both trains have been taken to a hospital for treatment. Officers of the Railway departments including Engineering, Operations, and Signal have come here and are working to clear the tracks," he said.

Northern Railway has diverted all the trains passing through Sultanpur via Faizabad and Pratapgarh. Station Master S.S. Meena said the goods train coming from Varanasi was supposed to wait for the signal, but the pilot somehow did not stop the engine as per the suggestion.

"However, the actual cause of the collision will be known only after a detailed investigation into the matter. The head-on collision caused eight coaches to derail. The engines of both trains were also damaged in this. After this incident, Lucknow-Varanasi and Ayodhya-Prayagraj railway tracks have been disrupted. No one was seriously injured in this accident," he said.