K’taka MLA among 5 killed as truck rams into train in Andhra Pradesh

Railways <g data-gr-id="54">has</g> ordered an inquiry into the accident.Commissioner Railway Safety of Southern Circle has been asked to conduct the probe and submit the report at the earliest, Railway spokesperson Anil Saxena said.

The truck broke the closed boom gate at Madakasira after “overlooking all safety warnings” and hit the H-1 coach of the Nanded-bound train at around 2.20 am. Four coaches – H1, B-1, S-1 and S-2 – were derailed in the mishap which disrupted traffic on the route, the South Western Railway said. 

Venkatesh Naik, Congress MLA from Deodurg in Raichur district of Karnataka who has been a four-time Lok Sabha MP, was among three passengers killed on the spot, said DIG of Anantapur, K Satyanarayana, adding that two others were injured and shifted to hospital in Bangalore.

A railway employee and the truck driver were among five persons killed in the accident, railways said.

However, the DIG said the truck cleaner was killed in the <g data-gr-id="37">midhap</g> while the <g data-gr-id="38">drive</g> fled. He said it appeared the truck’s brakes had failed, but the actual cause of the accident will be ascertained after an inquiry.

Anantapur district borders Karnataka and is located around 350 km from Hyderabad.

Many trains were affected in the section and have been diverted, according to Railway officials.

Many leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi, have condoled the loss of lives. 

“My thoughts are with the families of all those who lost their lives in the unfortunate accident of the Bangalore City-Nanded express,” he tweeted.

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has also conveyed his condolences to the families of the victims. He said <g data-gr-id="36">ex-gratia</g> will be given to the affected.

The derailment was due to “road lorry hitting the train at closed Level Crossing Gate overlooking all safety warnings,” Railways said in <g data-gr-id="45">statement</g>. The Railways has also released <g data-gr-id="51">help line</g> numbers at Bangalore City Railway Station: 080 22354108, 09731666751, 080 22156553; at Penukonda Station: 0855220244.

AP Information Minister P Raghunath Reddy, who hails from Anantapur, said the victims’ <g data-gr-id="41">postmortem</g> has been conducted. He said the cause of the accident, as to whether the brakes of the vehicle failed or its driver was drunk or he fell asleep, is being investigated. He also sought an <g data-gr-id="42">ex-gratia</g> of more than Rs 10 lakh to the families of the victims.